Cong decision on Ashwani Kumar hinges on what CBI says in affidavit to SC

As reported by The Indian Express earlier,the Law Minister had vetted and made changes to the CBI’s status report on the coal block allocations. “We cannot hang anybody just because the Opposition demands it. Everything depends on what the CBI tells the Supreme Court,” said a senior party and government functionary today.

Meanwhile,the Opposition is learnt to have raised the stakes,informing the government that it would seek division on the Finance Bill if its demand for Kumar’s resignation is not accepted.

Unlike his Cabinet colleagues like Salman Khurshid and Veerappa Moily who managed to survive serious charges with the party’s backing,the Law Minister does not have many sympathisers in the ruling party. While his rise in the government is attributed to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s liking for him,the party leadership is not inclined to make it a “prestige issue” if the CBI points fingers at Kumar “in a direct or indirect way”,said sources.

While a section of party leaders were of the view that Kumar’s removal from the Cabinet could further embolden the Opposition to target the Prime Minister,sources said this was unlikely because there is no evidence to charge the latter.

“It is not unusual if the CBI holds consultations with the government’s legal arm. Nothing prevents the agency from doing that. It will,however,be a different matter if the CBI says that the Law Minister tampered with the report,” said a Union Minister.

The Congress has so far dismissed the demand for the Law Minister’s resignation,maintaining that the CBI functions independently and without any pressure.