Former Secretary, Joint Secy and Director in ministry of Coal have been convicted by the court under IPC for criminal conspiracy and cheating in a coal block allocation case in MP. More coal scam cases are pending. Sentences were awarded to three top bureaucrats: the then Secy, Joint Secy and Director of Coal ministry, by the special court of CBI. It will be inappropriate for any third party, to blame the Court citing “Officers’ honesty, commitment and dedication “ and, worse, warning GOI about the perceived repercussions like "policy paralysis ; demotivating bureaucracy from taking decisions” etc. The aggrieved officers are free to appeal to High court and even Supreme court for relief. The CBI court in the present case, pronounced judgement based on CBI investigation, supporting documents, recorded statements, cross-examination etc.Intercession by IAS officers Association is unwarranted.
The obverse is more baffling. Never trust politicians. Former Prime Minister-cum- Coal minister Manmohan Singh, his Principal Secy, Secy , JS, Directors in the PMO ,were totally left out of interrogation by the CBI. How? At whose behest?How were the PMO worthies given clean chits by the then CBI,the “caged parrot of UPA” . All these infirmities raise suspicions in public mind. No decision could have been taken without PMO’s knowledge. To satisfy readers’ curiosity, let us consider following questions:--
(a)How could the then Cab Secy and officers of PMO feign ignorance of the flawed coal blocks allocation policy,that took the shape of a scam? Arbitrary, discretionary, pick-and-choose, based on first-come-first-serve doctrine. Though, former Coal Secy (P C Parakh) had informed the Congress-led UPA govt, much ahead of the scam, about the flawed allocation policy, why no action was taken by Manmohan Singh & Co to address these concerns ;
(b) Why did the then Finance Minister keep his conspiratorial silence in the matter?
(c ) Who blocked reappraisal of coal block allocation policy despite specific advice of former coal Secretary P C Parakh and report of C&AG ? Was Manmohan Singh choosen to double as Coal minister for his docility and compliant attitude to the Congress supremo? Let us be upfront.
(d) Refer to Sanjay Baru’s “The Accidental Prime Minister” and P C Parakh’s “Crusader or Conspirator” for ringside views. Parakh went to the extent of embarrassing Manmohan Singh by calling him a “ PM with little political authority “.
(e)It was common knowledge during UPA’s decade long mis-rule that all ministers bypassed the de jure PM and considered themselves lucky to implement oral orders of the de facto PM. The gutless, pliant and powerless Manmohan Singh enjoyed formalizing the oral orders of the de facto CEO ,that is, the Congress supremo. Where was the bureaucracy?
Vinaash Kaaley, Vipreet Budhi