Singh's party Congress, however, insisted that it was "wrong" to say that he was "questioned" by CBI as the former prime minister had offered to cooperate with the investigations and had provided whatever information was sought in the interests of justice.
"BJP welcomes CBI's questioning of Singh, who held the coal portfolio when most of the irregularities in coal scam took place. CBI has examined the former prime minister on the advice of the CBI special court judge," said BJP spokesperson GVL Narsimha Rao.
"The government has no role at all... Congress is speaking in two voices. While one person says (the examination) is vindictive, another spokesperson says it is part of a legal process. They (Congress leaders) should sit down and decide on what to speak... It is the hobby of Congress to go into a disinformation campaign without knowing what they are saying," Parliamentary Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said.
"As prime minister and thereafter, Singh had said that he was ready to cooperate with investigations of any nature... Certain clarifications/information was sought... (which was provided) in the best interest to ensure that justice prevails," Surjewala said.
Clarifying that "nobody has charged Singh with corruption", Union Minister Prakash Javadekar said that the former prime minister, however, was "the signatory for all the illegal allocations" and therefore "cannot shy away from responsibility".
Further reacting to charges that the BJP-led government was pursuing a political vendetta against Congress, Telecom Minister Ravi Shankar Prasad said, "Congress remembers its own habit when it misused CBI to make many allegations against others. As far as we are concerned, CBI is functioning with neutrality."