Coalgate a 'bigger scam' than 2G: SP

Samajwadi Party today demanded cancellation of coal block allocations and accused coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal of taking arbitrary decisions saying that coalgate was a "bigger scam" than 2G.

Samajwadi Party on Tuesday demanded cancellation of coal block allocations and accused coal minister Sriprakash Jaiswal of taking arbitrary decisions saying that coalgate was a "bigger scam" than 2G.

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"When the entire truth comes out, people will be surprised that it is a much bigger scam than 2G scam... the Prime Minister should take initiative in ordering a probe and cancel all coal block allocations," SP general secretary Ram Gopal Yadav said in New Delhi.

The SP's stand on coal issue on the eve of its two-day National Executive in Kolkata assumes significance as the party leadership is likely to spell out its strategy for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections and its relationship with Congress.

Attacking Jaiswal, Yadav said BJP, Deve Gowda and IK Gujral regimes allocated three to four blocks during their time but Jaiswal allocated three coal blocks within an hour of assuming office.

"On such a big issue, no mind was applied. It only shows everything was predecided and the minister only had to sign on dotted lines," he said.

This is for the first time that the SP, extending outside support to UPA government, has openly targeted a Union minister on the coal issue.