Parliament adjourned over issue of missing coal block files

The issue of missing files on coal block allocations rocked proceedings in both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday forcing their adjournment for the day.

Both Houses of Parliament witnessed repeated adjournments in the pre-lunch session earlier in the day.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led opposition raised slogans about missing files of Coal Ministry and demanded Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh's intervention.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today assured the Rajya Sabha that the government is making all out efforts to trace the missing files on the coal block allocations.

Dr Singh said the government has nothing to hide in the matter, and asked the opposition not to draw hasty conclusions and let the House function smoothly. Dr Singh said a majority of over one lakh 50 thousand documents have been handed over to CBI.

He said it clearly shows the government's intention to facilitate the on-going enquiry, which is being monitored by the Supreme Court. The Prime Minister said the government has extended the fullest cooperation to the Comptroller and Auditor General in its performance audit and later to the CBI in its investigation.

Dr. Singh said the matter is sub-judice and the apex court has directed the CBI to prepare a list of missing documents required for the probe and gave two weeks' time to government to provide all documents to the investigating agency.

He said if the government is unable to trace them within the time frame given by the Supreme Court, it will order a CBI enquiry.

Earlier, raising the issue, the opposition leaders wanted to know what steps the government has taken so far on the missing files. They also asked why no FIR has been filed till now.