Parakh urges SC to handle Coalgate with practical approach

Former coal secretary PC Parakh on Monday said that he expected the Supreme Court judgment on the coal blocks allocation case but urged it not to cancel the allocations, stating that such a move would have serious implications on the country.

"I always expected the SC to give a verdict that all of these allocations did not have a legal basis. It will have very serious implications on the economy of the country and the power sector and the coal sector," he said.

Parekh further said the country should not suffer due to the scandal.

"I think the SC has kept the issue of cancellation on hold. And I suppose on September 1, when the court hears the case again, they will come up with some sort of a practical approach so that the country's economy does not suffer due to a mistake made by the government," he said.

Parakh further said the country's political system needs to learn a lesson from all these cases.

"I hope in future, the government runs in a transparent and fair manner," he added.

Parakh had earlier in his book "Crusader or Conspirator? Coalgate and other Truths" alleged that former Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh was heading a government in which he had "little" political authority.