Coal allocation scam trail goes all the way to PM: BJP

NEW DELHI: BJP today alleged that the trail of the coal scam goes all the way to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh since he was the final signatory for all the allocations and sought to know how Coal Secretary P C Parakh is being held responsible but not the minister who held the portfolio.

"The trail of the coal allocation scam goes all the way to 7, Race Course Road (PM's residence). If in the Commonwealth Games scam the person who put the final signature was held accountable and jailed, then what is the reason that the Prime Minister, who held the coal portfolio, is not responsible," BJP spokesperson Shahnawaz Hussain said.

He asked if Parakh is being accused of wrongdoing because he was the Coal Secretary, then why is the Prime Minister not culpable?

Citing another instance, the BJP leader said in the 2G spectrum scam A Raja was made an accused as he was the Telecom Minister then why is the then coal minister and Prime Minister not being held accountable for the coal scam.

The main Opposition had demanded yesterday that the Prime Minister should tender his resignation immediately.

"BJP wants to know why PM is not being held accountable. We will take this issue to the people most of whom are already aware of it by now," Hussain said.

He claimed this augurs well for the party as a wave is being built in its favour due to such scams and the charisma of BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi.

"The kind of atmosphere we are witnessing today, BJP will not just cross 272+ mark (the majority in Lok Sabha) but get many more seats. The polls have not yet been announced and the battlefield has not yet been set but it is obvious as to who will fly the victory flag in the next elections," Hussain claimed.