Granted, it is the job of the Bharatiya Janata Party, as the principal Opposition party, to question and attack the Government whenever the opportunity presents itself. After the 2G scam, it was presented with another goldmine when the CAG hauled the UPA Government over the coals, charging that a presumptive loss of a whopping Rs 1.86 lakh crore could have taken place by the allocation — instead of competitive bidding — of coal blocks to private parties.

The BJP has disrupted the functioning of Parliament over the last few days over this issue, with Arun Jaitley, leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, arguing that stalling Parliament is a “legitimate” tool to pressurise the Government for ultimate public good. Even at the press conference addressed on Monday by him and Sushma Swaraj, leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, after the Prime Minister had made a statement in Parliament over this issue, both leaders reiterated that, but for the successful stalling of Parliament for many days over the 2G scam issue, the allotted licences would not have been cancelled.

But the crucial question is, how far is too far when it comes to not allowing all the elected representatives of the people to do their job in the legislature?

PM’s statement

But before that, let’s look at the crux of what the Prime Minister had to say over the coalgate issue. As the Coal Ministry was under his watch for a part of the period under the scanner, he began by reiterating his innocence, demanded an opportunity to defend himself and even attacked the CAG, saying its “allegations of impropriety are without basis and unsupported by the facts.” The allocation of coal blocks to private companies began in 1993 after the Coal Mines (Nationalisation) Act, 1973, was amended to attract private investment, because Coal India wasn’t able to handle the growing demand for coal in an expanding economy. This allocation was done by an inter-ministerial screening committee, which included State representatives, he said.

Manmohan Singh explained that as the applicants for coal block allocation grew, in 2003, a consolidated set of guidelines was introduced “to ensure transparency and consistency in allocation”, and in 2004 it was decided to bring in competitive bidding. Finding “flawed” the CAG’s contention that competitive bidding could have been introduced in 2006 by amending the existing administrative instructions, he said, for this, the Coal Mines Act needed to be amended.

Most important, in 2005, representatives from coal and lignite bearing states, “like West Bengal, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Orissa and Rajasthan that were ruled by opposition parties, were strongly opposed to a switch over to the process of competitive bidding as they felt that it would increase the cost of coal, adversely impact value addition and development of industries in their areas and would dilute their prerogative in the selection of lessees.”

Opposition divided?

Ironically, with the BJP members allowing little to be heard, the PMO tweeted the statement. Well, social media does have its uses when it suits the government!

With the Prime Minister’s statement, the Congress has fired the first salvo, clearly from a public direction given by Sonia Gandhi that the party’s MPs should move into an aggressive mode. With this clarification from the Prime Minister, the Left parties have stated that even though they are not satisfied with his response, they no longer agree with the BJP that Parliament should not be allowed to function. Let there be a debate in Parliament, is their stand, and the BJD too is in favour of this.

Earlier, the Samajwadi Party’s Mulayam Singh and the Bahujan Samaj Party’s Mayawati had refused to attend a meet called by the BJP on Monday morning to devise a united strategy on the Coalgate issue. Both the leaders are politically too astute not to realise that trying to hunt with the hounds and run with the hare can be suicidal.

And, in the next election, if there is a hopelessly hung Lok Sabha — with both the Congress and BJP getting butchered — a Third Front government could need outside Congress support. And the entire nation knows that both Netaji and Behenji have aspirations to wear the Prime Minister’s crown.

Of course, with the Prime Minister leaving for Iran on Tuesday, this issue will get a breather because the BJP wants nothing less than his scalp.

Aggressive mode

With the Congress responding aggressively, and not all BJP’s allies coming on board to do its bidding, the BJP might have to rethink its battle strategy. After making the statement, the Prime Minister, talking to reporters outside Parliament, described as “disputable” the CAG’s estimate that “thousands of crores of rupees were lost because coal blocks were assigned without an auction” and added that they would be “challenged.”

On its part, the BJP faces a dilemma. The battle against corruption started by Anna Hazare and taken forward by Baba Ramdev has definitely placed corruption under a stern public gaze. The BJP knows this only too well; if it cannot seize the moment now, it might not get another chance like this. But the numbers are not on its side.

Already, there was speculation in Delhi by Monday afternoon that the Prime Minister’s statement was only the beginning, and the Government is in such a combative mood that it feels no need to even wait for a no-confidence motion. It might itself press for a confidence vote, and if it wins this comfortably — we’ve seen that Mamata’s bark is worse than her bite and neither Mulayam nor Mayawati is in a mood to displease the Government — it might sail through the next two years without any major challenge.

For the time being it’s a battle of nerves between India’s two major parties. BJP leaders, L. K. Advani included, questioned the Prime Minister for his public criticism of a “constitutional body” like the CAG. They want the Government to cancel the allocation given of 142 coal blocks to private parties and competitive bidding to be initiated. On its part, the Congress spokesman Manish Tewari said: “Let there be a discussion in Parliament. Doodh ka doodh aur pani ka pani ho jayenga .

That the BJP is shying away from just this does not augur very well for the principal Opposition party!

Responses to rasheeda@thehindu.co.in and blfeedback@thehindu.co.in

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