Parrikar blames SC for rupee crisis

The Supreme Court is to be blamed for the current rupee crisis, Goa Chief Minister Manohar Parrikar said Thursday.

Addressing a public meeting demanding resumption of mining operations, Parrikar said bans on mining in India and the subsequent ore export slump had resulted in the rupee's weakening against the dollar.

"The Supreme Court is to be blamed for the rupee crisis. The rupee has plunged because of the suspension of mining activity in India," Parrikar said.

This is not the first time that the chief minister has taken on the apex court after the latter banned mining in October last year following the disclosure of a Rs.35,000-crore mining scam.

Nearly all the ore mined from Goa was exported to China, Pakistan, Japan and other south east Asian countries.

On Tuesday, Parrikar in an interview to a national financial daily said absolute bans were destroying India.

"If they want to stop mining, let them do it after hearing the state. These absolute bans are destroying India. There should be a restriction on illegality. But a ban renders everything within the zone null and void," Parrikar had said, adding the bans crippled states and the nation economically.

In March last year, Parrikar had said the prolonged ban on mining amounted to "justice delayed is justice denied" and accused judges in the apex court of living in ivory towers.

"How can the Supreme Court stop a major activity for six months, when justice delayed is justice denied," Parrikar asked, while speaking to a gathering of top industrialists at the Confederation of Indian Industry's annual day function.

"I will put it across to them (Supreme Court) bluntly if I get a chance. I will say you are living in ivory towers," Parrikar said.

The chief minister also referred to the Durga Shakti Nagpal incident, claiming that the Uttar Pradesh-cadre Indian Administrative Service (IAS) officer's case had resulted in a "suppression of all (sand mining) activities".

"You cannot do this. Such incidents have to be handled on a case-to-case basis," Parrikar said.