BJP seeks CBI probe into Naveen’s role in coalgate

The State unit of the BJP on Saturday demanded CBI probe into the role of the Naveen Patnaik Government in coal block allocations to private companies.

“The BJD Government, headed by Naveen, is not above suspicion. The Government maintained no procedure while recommending names of private companies for allocation of coal blocks,” senior BJP leader Bijay Mohapatra told a media conference here.

Mohapatra said recommendations were made for private companies having no MoUs with the State Government. The Government even violated the Industrial Policy Resolution (IPR) while recommending cases to the Centre for coal block allotment.

Claiming that a total of 334 applications were made for coal blocks, Mohapatra said the State Government recommended applications of 52 companies, including those which did not have MoUs with the Government for establishment of any industry.

Seeking to know the parameters for selecting beneficiaries, Mohapatra said neither there was any screening committee to scrutinise the applications nor were the credentials of the companies, including their technical partners and financial base, verified before making such recommendations.

The former minister claimed that the State Government recommended the case of Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) on February 2, 2009, a day before the Election Commission of India held a meeting of political parties for the general elections.

“What was the consideration of the Chief Minister for recommending the case of JSPL before the general elections,” he wondered. The State Government also made recommendation in favour of Tatas for a coal block on July 24, 2008, he said.

The Chief Minister has been consistently opposing the competitive bidding route for allocation of coal blocks, Mohapatra charged.

“If the Chief Minister’s claim that his Government is favouring competitive bidding since 2005 is true, why his Government recommended the cases of several companies, including JSPL and Tatas,” he sought to know from the Chief Minister.

Alleging that the State Government violated its own IPR while recommending applications of several industrial houses, the BJP leader said the Chief Minister is party to the scam and the CBI needs to investigate his role.