UPA 'afraid' to come before PAC on Coalgate: Joshi

Thiruvananthapuram: BJP leader and Public Accounts Committee Chairman Murli Manohar Joshi on Friday alleged that the UPA government was "afraid" of coming before the PAC on the CAG findings on coal block allocation and was "shielding" the corrupt. 


"The government has the chance to explain its position before the PAC. The government is not ready to explain to people on the issue and is shielding the corrupt," he told a meet-the-press programme here. 

PAC was a mini-Parliament with members from all political parties. "What is there to examine now by PAC, as Prime Minister has stated that everything was wrong," Joshi said, adding, Manmohan Singh's statement on CAG's calculations amounted to pre-empting an inquiry by PAC. 

"When Prime Minister himself said the basis of calculation by CAG on coal mining was wrong, no officer will be ready to differ with his view before the PAC and so it amounts to pre-empting an inquiry by PAC," Joshi said.

He said attributing wrong motives to CAG for its report virtually amounted to denigrating the institution set up under the Constitution. 

Earlier on the 2-G spectrum scam also, the UPA government tried to place hurdles. "What happened now, several people have gone to jail. Both Supreme court and CBI said irregularities have taken place," he said. 

Demanding Prime Minister Singh's resignation, Joshi said the BJP would take the campaign against corruption to the people. 

All parties except the Congress and the DMK were united in exposing corruption, Joshi said when asked whether BJP has the support of NDA allies.