BJP demands clarification on missing Coalgate files

The opposition BJP attacked the government on Monday in the Rajya Sabha over the missing coal block allocation files, demanding a clarification on the issue. Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal admitted that crucial files were missing on Saturday.

The opposition alleged that files were deliberately misplaced to shield Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was holding the coal portfolio when the controversial coal block allocations took place.

“There are three powerful targets of investigation. The beneficiary, screening committee and the minister's office. Suddenly the files are missing. The government must respond to this. Otherwise you will say files are missing and evidence will be eliminated,” Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley said.

Raising the issue in the Zero Hour, BJP MP Dharmendra Pradhan wanted to know if files were missing for a period when the prime minister was in charge of the coal ministry and if the files went missing because of the prime minister's involvement.

“The minister or Prime Minister must come to the House to make a statement,” said BJP's Venkaiah Naidu.

With members on their feet and raising slogans, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla assured the House that the coal minister would give a statement in Rajya Sabha. "It's true that some files from 1993 to 2004 are missing. We are trying to get the
copies of those files ready," Jaiswal said in Kanpur on Saturday.

The minister's admission comes in the wake of Supreme Court ordering the government to co-operate and share any documents requested by the Central Bureau of Investigation as part of its investigation into how coal mining licences were issued to private firms.

The CBI had complained that the ministry is not making available documents requested by investigators, claiming that it needed time to locate the files.