Coal scam: BJP demands PM's resignation over CAG report

Parliament is set to witness a stormy week from today onwards, as the BJP seems determined to embarrass the Centre over the CAG's damaging report on the allocation of coalfields. Vikas Pathak reports. CAG punch | Talk box

Parliament is set to witness a stormy week from Tuesday onwards, as the BJP seems determined to embarrass the Centre over the CAG's damaging report on the allocation of coalfields.

"We have demanded the resignation of the PM and will repeat our demand. It is unlikely that Parliament will function smoothly," a BJP leader told HT. "They left no stone unturned to target us when George Fernandes was defence minister during NDA days. Why should we let them go scot free now when the country's top auditor has yet again found them guilty of a scam that led to a loss of Rs. 1,86,000 crore to the public exchequer."

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"Politically, it suits us to step up the pressure in this matter. One blow after another as scams tumble out regularly will further deepen the impression in the public mind that the Congress is the root of corruption. When Congress leaders attack the CAG, they further dent their own credibility in the public mind," said another BJP leader.

He recalled how then defence minister KC Pant used to defend the government after the Bofors scam, further "alienating" people.

The government on its part is also unsure about whether the Opposition would allow it to transact its business.

"We have a few important legislations such as Protection of Women Against Sexual Harassment at the Workplace Bill and the Chemical Weapons Convention Bill to pass tomorrow, but we are not sure if the Opposition would allow us to work," Parliamentary affairs minister Pawan Bansal said on the sidelines of an Eid party.