Congress trying to destroy missing coal files: BJP MP

Gangaram Ahir indicated that Congress-led UPA is trying to divert the coal scam issue by referring to pre-2004 period

The Congress is conspiring to destroy the missing files with details of allocation of coal blocks to companies between 2006 and 2009, claims Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Member of Parliament (MP) Hansraj Gangaram Ahir.

“The files have been made to disappear by the Congress party as major Congress leaders have been named in these files,” Ahir told Business Standard. The BJP MP from Chandrapur in Maharashtra had first highlighted irregularities in coal block allocations.

He indicated that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) was trying to divert the coal scam issue by referring to the pre-2004 period. The ongoing investigations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) are limited to the 2006-2009 period. However, Ahir added: “Even if it is assumed that files of the pre-2004 period are also missing, it is the Congress’ failure as custodian of official information.”

The uproar over the missing files started with the CBI telling the Supreme Court its probe was getting hampered with the coal ministry not providing key documents related to the allocation of reserves between 2006 and 2009.

The issue has derailed a debate on the ruling UPA government's food Bill in Parliament, with the Opposition BJP demanding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh make a statement on the issue. Opposition parties are not content with Coal Minister Sriprakash Jaiswal’s statement on Tuesday that all efforts would be made to locate the files.

Jaiswal had informed Parliament that 769 files and documents running into 150,000 pages had been handed over to the CBI. The ministry has set up an inter-ministerial committee to look into the issue. Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj had alleged the files included applications for coal blocks and they had gone missing as some big shots of the Congress were involved.

Alleging the government might have been lying on the issue, international non governmental organisation Greenpeace had, on Wednesday, claimed the ministry had informed in a reply to RTI queries in October last year that documents related to applications of companies are already with the CBI.

 Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs in the Rajya Sabha, Rajeev Shukla, on Thursday said the government was ready for a discussion and the prime minister might intervene, if required. However, the prime minister did not speak on the issue in Parliament on Thursday.