January 08, 2025 08:43 pm (IST)
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After Baru, Parakh's book questions PM's ability
New Delhi, Apr 14 (IBNS): After former advisor to the Prime Minister, Sanjaya Baru's book, another documentation called "Crusader or Conspirator? Coalgate and Other Truths" by former coal secretary PC Parakh, has now raised question on Manmohan Singh's ability as a PM.
Speaking to media about his book on Monday, he said, "Unfortunately, the prime minister was not able to control his ministers and my suggestion on coal block auction was not accepted."
In his book, Parakh said that Singh, though keen to introduce open bidding, could not overcome resistances from coal ministers in his administration.
Parakh said he himself came under pressure from people interested in acquiring coal blocks.
"Pressures come in the form of enticements such as post-retirement assignments, partnership in business, bribery, blackmail or pure intimidation. Pressures also come from friends and relations," Parakh wrote in the book.
"Some can resist these pressures. Others succumb," he said.
Meanwhile, Parakh is himself under scrutiny with the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) naming him in its fourteenth First Information Report (FIR) in connection with the coal scam.
Parakh has also demanded that the CBI should investigate the Prime Minister.
This is the second attack on the PM with Sanjaya Baru, in his book 'The Accidental Prime Minister', writing that Singh was "defanged" by the Congress in his second term with Sonia, deciding over key appointments to the Cabinet and to the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).
Baru also wrote that Singh seemed to "surrender" to her and to the allies.
"Bit by bit, in the space of a few weeks he was defanged. He thought he could induct the ministers he wanted into his team. Sonia nipped that hope in the bud by offering the finance portfolio to Pranab (Mukherjee), without even consulting him," Baru has written in the book.
Baru has also quoted the PM in page number 301 of the book, published by Penguin, as telling him: "That creates confusion. I have to accept that the party president is the centre of power. The government is answerable to the party."
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