Left, TDP call for cancellation of 142 coal blocks, thorough probe

NEW DELHI: The Left Front and the Telugu Desam Party ( TDP) on Monday refused to buy Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's elaborate statement on coal block allocation and demanded immediate cancellation of all 142 coal blocks and a thorough inquiry.

Terming Singh's statement in the House as "extremely defensive" and containing "several distortions", the Left Front attacked the prime minister for his statements against the Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG). CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said the prime minister had shown "disrespect" to the Constitution by attacking the CAG.

At a joint press conference, leaders of CPM, CPI, RSP, Forward Bloc and TDP accused Congress and BJP of "match-fixing" and disrupting Parliament proceedings, saying that a discussion on the issue would "expose" them both.

"It appears to be a case of match-fixing. It (disruption) suits both of them not to have a discussion on the issue. Otherwise, both will be exposed," CPM leader Sitaram Yechury said. "The government is abdicating its responsibility by allowing BJP to disrupt the House. That shows they are hand-in-glove," the CPM leader said.

CPI leader Dasgupta criticised BJP for bringing Parliament to a halt. "What BJP is doing and trying to bring about a mid-term poll, is against parliamentary democracy and we totally denounce that. Congress too is only talking to BJP and is leaving no space to all other parties. It seems both Congress and BJP are working in tandem and the government is trying to hide the unprecedented economic crisis prevailing in the country," he said.

While CPM demanded a thorough probe in the coal block allotment, CPI said the government should immediately institute a judicial probe under a Supreme Court judge. Sitaram Yechury said: "We want a thorough probe into the entire allocation to find out who was responsible, howsoever highly placed the person might be, cancellation of all coal block allotments and a discussion in the House."