PM cannot escape responsibility in coal scam: BJP

"I am not surprised that Parakh has said that the Prime Minister should be accused No 1 in the coal scam" Sinha said

BJP today attacked the Prime Minister following ex-Coal Secretary P C Parakh's remarks that he must be counted as a "conspirator" in the coal scam, wondering how can a person who gave final approval to the block allotments escape responsibility.

Manmohan Singh

"The time has come for Parakh to speak up. He has spoken a little, he should come out clean now, make public statements of how files were disposed off at that time (when PM Manmohan Singh was incharge of the Coal Ministry).

"...How chits were received from Congress party headquarters in the PMO and PMO transmitted those instructions to the Coal Ministry for allotment of coal blocks," party leader Yashwant Sinha said.

The BJP leader wondered how can a person who gave final approval to the coal block allotments escape responsibility and how come more responsibility be put on those who just made recommendations to the Prime Minister.

Sinha's comments came after Parakh, against whom CBI had yesterday registered a case in connection with the scam, said the Prime Minister was the final decision maker and must be counted as a "conspirator" in the case.

"I am not surprised that Parakh has said that the Prime Minister should be accused No 1 in the coal scam.

"We are all aware of the fact that he was the Coal Minister during the period of the coal scam and every allotment of coal block has been done with his signature," he said.