Coal block scam resurfaces in Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI: The coal block scam resurfaced in the Lok Sabha today, with JD(U) equating the allocations to the sale of cinema tickets and seeking their cancellation following CAG estimate of a loss of over Rs 1.86 lakh crore.

Raising the issue during Zero Hour, JD(U) chief Sharad Yadav also said that the Supreme Court's latest directive to CBI not to share information on coal block allocation probe with the political executive showed how the government had lost credibility.

"The coal blocks have been allocated almost like the sale of cinema tickets. ... The apex court's directive to CBI shows that the court too has been disappointed with the government. This is not good for parliamentary democracy," Yadav said.

"I can agree that mistakes can be committed by the government. But if mistakes are committed, the government must own up responsibility and take corrective measures," he said.

The JD(U) leader said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who was present in the House, "should accept the responsibility if in your assessment mistakes have been made. Then correct these mistakes and cancel all the coal block allocations."

The Supreme Court had yesterday said the allocation of coal blocks prima facie seemed to be arbitrary and warned of cancelling these if procedures were not followed.

Taking up a public interest litigation following the CAG report, the court also directed the CBI not to share information of its probe into the scam with the "political executive".

After the CAG had submitted its report on the coal block allocations last year, the opposition had stalled Parliament during its Winter Session for several days.