Coal scam: 'Draft reports are never raised in Parliament', says Shukla

New Delhi, Mar 22 (ANI): With proceedings in both Houses of Parliament being adjourned for some time on Thursday following opposition pressure over a Comptroller and Auditor General (CAG) report on coal block allocation that reported a loss of nearly 11 lakh crores, Congress lawmaker Rajiv Shukla defended the government, saying that draft reports are never raised in Parliament, as it was wrong convention.

"Draft reports are never raised in Parliament. It's a wrong convention. The government has not received any report as yet neither the report has been sent to PAC. This must be some internal exercise in the CAG. So, how one can react on the draft reports unless government receives any report. It will be wrong precedent," said Shukla.

Meanwhile, Minister of State for Mines Dinsha Patel said the matter was related to the coal department and not to the mining department headed by him.

"It is not related to my department. It is related to the coal department. You should talk to the coal department. It is related to the coal department. It is not related to mines department," said Patel.

Communist Party of India (CPI) leader Gurudas Dasgupta, however, left no stones unturned in pulling up the UPA Government over the issue, and described it to be a government of thieves and corrupt.

"It is the government of thieves. It is the government of corrupt. It is not only anti-people but it is government of scamsters. We should try to oust this government by bringing people of India on the streets," he said.

The CAG report titled 'Performance Audit of Coal Block Allocations' has reportedly alleged the government of extending "undue benefits" of nearly Rs. 10.67 lakh crore to commercial entities while allotting 155 coal acreages without auction during the period of 2004-09.

The surfacing of the scam, said to be bigger than the 2G scam, has once again given the opposition an opportunity to corner the government in the ongoing parliament session.

It is reported that the over 100 private companies and public sector units from the power, steel and cement industries have benefited from this allocation. (ANI)