PM Manmohan Singh resignation demand justified but let him explain: CPI

NAGPUR: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh can not escape responsibility in the coal block allocation scam but he should be given a chance to explain his stand on the issue in Parliament, Communist Party of India said today.

"The Prime Minister may not be personally involved in corruption but certainly he is presiding over a Government which is facing charges of involvement in scams running into crores of rupees," CPI General Secretary Suravaram Sudhakar Reddy told reporters here.

"The demand from Opposition parties for the Prime Minister's resignation was justified but unfortunately Parliament had been stalled (on CAG report) for the last two days which should not happen," he said.

"Instead of stalling Parliament's proceedings, they (parties) should give an opportunity to the Prime Minister to explain why he should not quit (over CAG report). Also, there are so many important national issues like the drought-like situation in various parts which need to be discussed in Parliament," said the Lok Sabha MP from Nalgonda (AP).

Reddy maintained that the erstwhile Left Front Government in West Bengal, of which CPI was a part, did not oppose auction of coal blocks as claimed by the Centre.

As far as Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, which were said to have opposed auction of coal blocks, are concerned, the BJP Governments there would be in a better position to clarify on the allocation issue, the CPI leader said.