Coalgate: 'BJP believes in ideology of disruption', says Sibal

New Delhi, Aug 29 (ANI): Asserting that there was no question of anyone benefitting from the coal scam, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on Wednesday accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of raking up the issue in its desperation to come to power at the Centre before the 2014 polls.

"Under the nationalisation policy, coal cannot be sold... Coal from the blocks allotted was never sold. So, who could have benefitted. Why is there so much of noise? Did anyone sell the coal?" he asked.

Taking potshots at the BJP for disrupting parliamentary proceedings over the coal blocks allocation issue, Sibal alleged that the 'ideology' used to assassinate Mahatma Gandhi is being used now to 'kill' Indian democracy.

"The BJP does not think about the nation. It wants to come to power before 2014. It just believes in the ideology of disruption and killing of democracy," he said.

"We cannot cancel the licences. It will be lead to wastage of crores of rupees. Many banks are involved and the decision will affect the power sector badly," he added, while rejecting the opposition demand for cancellation of the licences for coal block allocation.

The BJP has held Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, who then held direct charge of the coal ministry, responsible for what has been estimated as a notional loss of Rs 1.86 lakh crores by the CAG in coal block allocations, and demanded his resignation.

The CAG report on coal block allocations states that nearly 150 coalfields were allotted to private and state-run firms without transparency and objectivity between 2005 and 2009. (ANI)