New Delhi: Accusing ruling Congress of "not being serious" in curtailing corruption, JD(U) on Tuesday said the Opposition will corner the government on coal block issue in Winter Session of Parliament beginning from November 21. "The main issue is coal block allocations in which a number of irregularities have been reported. Those saying that the opposition have become silent on it are wrong. Let the Winter Session begin, the opposition will take up the issue unitedly," Sharad Yadav, who is also the NDA convener, said at a press conference here.
The JD(U) president was critical of Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde's statement that there were no losses in coal block allocation. He wondered how such "irresponsible" statement was made when the CAG has categorically mentioned in its report that a loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crore was incurred by the exchequer in the coal block allocation."Shinde's argument of no loss due to allocation of the coal blocks will be true only when the government cancels all the allotments and allocates them afresh," the JD(U) chief said.
Noting that priority was given to private companies over the PSUs in the allocation of the coal blocks, he said, "the most advantageous company is of Jindal's, who purchased coal at very nominal prices and sold electricity at very expensive rates putting common man at most disadvantaged position." "They were selling electricity at the rate of Rs 5.5 to Rs 6 per unit, whereas the nearby plant of NTPC used to supply electricity at Rs 2.2 per unit. "...that is how Naveen Jindal is making enormous profits due to proximity with the government. The Congress party through its government is giving all favours to Jindals," Yadav alleged.
While attacking the government for its argument that the Supreme Court in its recent judgement mentioned that auctioning of natural resources is not necessary, Yadav also expressed surprise at the apex court's rulings in the 2G case. "In 2G spectrum case, the Supreme Court did mention in one of its judgements that disposal of spectrum should have been done through auction. But later it also mentioned that the spectrum should have been disposed of at best prices without auction. "I do not know as to which of the judgement of Supreme Court is right here. How will the country see uniformity in the apex court's judgements, when different judgements come on an issue within few months?" Yadav said.
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