'Moily's 'India not Russia' remark may affect PM's Moscow visit '

New Delhi: Describing Oil Minister

's 'India is not Russia' comment as irresponsible, BJP leader

said that the statement has "single-handedly spoilt the Prime Minister's visit to Moscow."

He further added, "He said India is not Russia. We have had strong relations with Russia ever since India's independence. The most-friendly country for us in the world is Russia. And, the Prime Minister is going to visit the country next week. Just before his visit to Russia, for a cabinet minister to make such a statement that we are not Russia, is very painful. The Government of India should reject this statement and dismiss Moily from the cabinet for making a statement of this kind."

The statement came into light when the minister referred to the FIR by the CBI against Kumar Mangalam Birla, saying that the investigating agencies should ensure that India does not become Russia "because, ultimately India cannot become just like Russia, where investors are not prepared to go and billionaires are put behind the bars. That should not happen here. The job of ensuring thatIndia does not become like Russia rests not just with the government but also with the judiciary and the CBI."

He further said,"ultimately India cannot become just like Russia, where investors are not prepared to go and billionaires are put behind the bars. That should not happen here. The job of ensuring that India does not become like Russia rests not just with the government but also with the judiciary and the CBI. After all, we are not in the regime of Aurangzeb. We are in the regime of rule of law. When rule of law is concerned it applies to government, it applies to Supreme Court, it applies to everybody,"

Booking all the accused against conspiracy in the allocation of coal blocks in Orissa in 2005, the CBI had also filed FIRs against Kumar Mangalam Birla and the former uNion Coal Secretary Prakash Chandra Parakh for irregularities and criminal conspiracy.

The coal block case relates to the allotment of the Talabira-II coalfield in Odisha to Hindalco Industries in 2005.

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