Thaindian News

New Delhi, Aug 28 (IANS) Sticking to its demand that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh quit, the BJP Tuesday said there was no mining in even a single coal block out of the 70 allocated between 2006-09, showing the decision was not made to push economic development.

Since the prime minister headed the coal ministry during this period, he should resign on moral grounds, party spokesman Prakash Javadekar told reporters here.

“Out of the 70 coal block allocated during 2006-09, mining has not taken place in even one block… this proves hollow the prime minister’s argument that coal blocks were allocated to push development in the country… he should resign on moral grounds,” he said.

Javadekar also sought authentication of a letter written by then food processing Minister Subodh Kant Sahai Feb 5, 2008 to the prime minister requesting that two coal blocks be allocated to SKS Ispat and Power Ltd for their steel plants in Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, respectively.

The two were allocated to the company the very next day after the prime minister’s office referred the matter to the then coal secretary.

“We want the government to authenticate the letter,” said Javadekar.

“The government should cancel all the 142 coal blocks allocated and hold auction so that genuine people get the coal blocks and the nation gets better revenue,” he said, alleging that the government gave away the coal blocks to private parties for huge monetary gains.