NEW DELHI: Congress leader Digvijay Singh today took a dig at the judiciary for its observations on CBI, triggering immediate reaction from BJP, which advised him to “learn and understand” why there were a “series of scams” in the UPA government instead of “blaming the judiciary”.
“By calling CBI a parrot in cage, then a Central Administrative Bench in Bangalore calling the IB a chicken…Now I have a question to the people in general. Are we not belittling our institutions? That’s it.
“I want you to respond. I will request you to try and get access to all those who are calling our institutions chicken or parrot. You should take reaction from them also,” Singh, who is an AICC general secretary, told reporters here.
Singh’s remarks came in backdrop of the recent stinging criticism of the CBI by the apex court that the investigating agency is a “caged parrot” of its masters.
The court had rapped the CBI for sharing the status report on coal allocation scam probe with Law Minister Ashwani Kumar and officials of PMO and Coal Ministry.
BJP lost no time in launching an attack on the Congress leader for “blaming the highest judiciary”.
“If the morale of the CBI has been downgraded, it is only because of the rank abuse of the CBI by the Government. CBI was deliberately not allowed to take up fair investigation.
“Otherwise the minister of his (UPA) government would not have sought to weaken the import of the CBI’s entire investigations in the Coalgate. Why it was done because the Prime Minister was involved in the Coalgate scam,” BJP leader Ravishankar Prasad alleged.
Holding that it is the duty of the SC to ensure a fair investigation in a “massive case of corruption”, he said that “instead of blaming the highest judiciary, it is important for Digvijay Singh to learn and understand as to why there are a series of scams one after another in this government and can we know that there will be no scam again in the coming months.”
Singh later told a TV channel, “If the Supreme Court feels the heart of the Coalgate report was changed by the law minister, then it should pass a judicial order. Observations do not fix responsibility…
Besides, he asked: “Why doesn’t the court order filing of charges against former law minister Ashwani Kumar and send him to jail? The court should also specify legal sections under which the minister should be booked and sent to prison.”
“Nobody can be held guilty on the basis of observations….Ashwani Kumar is a lawyer and he knows his job, he said.
Singh insisted the Supreme Court has “its own jurisdiction. The pillars of democracy cannot encroach upon each other. Can the Supreme Court conduct an investigation? Is the executive liable to answer to the people or the court? We are chosen by the people and we are answerable to the people.
“The PM had sought auction. Since majority coal blocks are in states ruled by non-Congress governments, the chief ministers put up stiff resistance. And if Ashwani Kumar had to resign, it was the PM’s prerogative. He was not guilty, he said.
Defending Pawan Kumar Bansal who was sacked as Railway Minister, he said, “There is no evidence Bansal took bribe. His nephew is charged and is in jail. If his companies have made profit, it’s for the income tax and revenue intelligence departments to hold investigations. The media cannot hold a trial.” -PTI
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