Manmohan upset at being named in coal scam, Cong to fight legally

Ex-PM says will prove innocence in court; BJP declines comment, denies charge of having engineered the development

Former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Wednesday he was upset at being named an accused and summoned by a court in the coal scam. The Congress came out in support of the former PM and charged the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) with making cheap political capital out of the case to divert people’s attention from the “black law” on land acquisition.

According to sources, finance minister Arun Jaitley has cordial relations with the former PM, whom he meets or speaks to often. However, not once has Singh broached the issue of him being named in the scam. Highly-placed sources in the BJP dismissed the speculation that the move to name Singh was politically motivated.

The assessment within the BJP was that the party did not want to play a politics of vendetta. A BJP senior, who didn’t want to be named, even termed the development “unfortunate”.

Singh, on being asked his reaction to the court order, said: “Of course, I am upset but this is part of life.” The former PM added: “I have always said I am open for legal scrutiny... I am sure the truth will prevail and I will get a chance to put forward my case with all the facts.”

Saying he respects the judicial process, Singh said: “I hope in a fair trial I will prove my innocence.” Singh was  also the coal minister in 2005 when the government allocated Talabira-II in Odisha to Hindalco. Asked whether he would contest the case, he said he would discuss the issue with his legal team.

The Congress backed Singh, currently a Rajya Sabha member. “This is a judicial procedure, which we will fight legally. There is no doubt on the integrity of the former PM and I do not feel it’s a setback for the party,” said Congress leader Ahmed Patel.

Congress communication department in-charge Randip Surjewala said the CBI earlier found the 15 per cent share to Hindalco in Talabira-II and III in Odisha including recommendation of then coal secretary P C Parakh to Singh as coal minister “to be above board, completely fair and transparent”.

Uttarakhand Chief Minister Harish Rawat also came out in Singh’s defence, saying: “Manmohan Singh has been one of the country’s ablest prime ministers. His contribution has been the most significant in making India an economic super power. No one ever cast doubts on his honesty and integrity. I am confident he will prove to be innocent.”

Surjewala accused the BJP of politicizing the ongoing judicial process to divert people's attention from the "black law" on land acquisition.

On SP leader Ram Gopal Yadav's reported remark that what had happened in the case of the former Prime Minister was judicial activism, the Congress spokesman said he would not like to make any comment on the ongoing judicial process.