Manmohan Singh is paying for 'sins' of Cong, alleges Javadekar

Environment minister says former PM wanted auction route for coal mining, but could not muster courage to say this

Union Environment Minister Prakash Javadekar on Sunday alleged the Congress high command did not allow former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to go for the auction route on coal blocks and that he was now paying for the “sins” of the party.

“Why Manmohan Singh landed in this trouble? Because Congress processes were non-transparent...he wanted an auction route for coal mining but he could not muster the courage to say so,” Javadekar said in Hyderabad.    

The Union minister was reacting to queries on summons issued by a trial court against Singh, which made him an accused in a case related to the allotment of coal blocks during his term at the helm of the previous United Progressive Alliance government.

“He (Singh) was influenced...the Congress and its high command did not allow him to take the auction route. So, now he is paying unnecessarily for the sins of the Congress... the party was sending letters of recommendations on whom to allot coal mines,” the Bharatiya Janata Party leader alleged.

Adding, “It cannot be said that he (Singh) is absolutely not guilty. You are in the seat of power but you have not exercised your power and that is also guilt. He should have exercised his authority, which he did not.”