Coal-gate: BJP slams PM for statement in Parliament

Criticising Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for making a statement on the CAG report on coal block allocation in Lok Sabha, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Monday said it will continue to demand his resignation and boycott the "corrupt" government in Parliament.

"Personally, I think for any minister or anybody to make a statement on the CAG report inside the House is wrong. Its absolutely wrong. Because the only forum in which the CAG report can be discussed is the Public Accounts Committee," BJP leader Jaswant Singh told the media outside Parliament House.

BJP spokesperson Rajiv Pratap Rudy said his party is not going to take things lying down anymore on this issue and will continue to press for the PM's resignation as it has already extended enough opportunities to him in the last eight years.

"This is a corrupt government," Rudy said. He maintained that the BJP will not allow the forum of Parliament to be used to "legitimise corruption".

BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar expressed disappointment with Dr Singh's statement. "The country is upset with the PM's statement. It is not a statement but a list of points of excuses. He is hiding the facts," he said.

Javadekar alleged that Dr Singh has accepted his role in coal allotments.

"He has said one thing correct that he is wholly responsible for the decision and that is why we are saying he has allotted and has put his stamp of approval on every coal block allotment. There are wrong-doings and so he is responsible and that is why he must resign," he said.