Cancel 142 coal blocs allcated during UPA rule: BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP today stuck to its demand for cancellation of the 142 coal blocks allocated during UPA rule and asked the government to clarify whether any "comparative appraisal" of applicants was done and what was the criteria for making these allotments.

Heaping praise on the media for exposing "more wrongdoings" in coal block allocations, BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar alleged the Screening Committee formed by the Centre for making these allotments was only a "facade".

"The coal block allocation process was twisted and manipulated. While the Committee had ten representatives from the central government, there was only one from the state concerned. It appears that these bunglings were pre-planned and the motive was to make profits not as a nation but as a party," Javadekar said.

He reiterated the BJP demand for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's resignation and cancellation of coal blocks allotments, alleging the process was "vitiated".

BJP will launch a three-day nation-wide protest against corruption in UPA government, including in the coal scam, starting from August 31.

"We demand an explanation from the government on how it did comparative appraisal of the 1400 applications for 140 coal blocks. Please provide us details of the comparative appraisal. How and on what basis was this comparative assessment made?" Javadekar said.

BJP alleged allocations were made arbitrarily and there is a lack of clarity in the criteria adopted.

"How come 17 coal blocks were alloted in one day without any presentation being made by the applicants?" Javadekar said.