At a time when the entire country is going through a political turmoil over the coal allocation scam, the Union home minister Sushilkumar Shinde on Saturday claimed that the pubic memory is too short and they will forget this issue like the Bofors controversy a few years ago.

Speaking at an awards function in memory of noted Marathi poet Late Narayan Surve, he commented “the hands which handle coal can be cleaned easily with a hand-wash.” The function was organised by Maharashtra Sahitya Kala Prasarini Sabha. Noted writer and Shinde’s classmate Vilas Patil, editor of Sakal Malhar Arankalle, G Y Savaji, D S Andane received awards for their contributions to various fields. Veteran humorist D M Mirasdar, journalist Madhukar Bhave, educationist P D Patil and Uddhav Kanade were seated on the dais.

Later addressing the media, Shinde said that many scams had taken place in the past and people have forgotten the petrol pump scam during the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime also. While replying to a question on Parliament deadlock, he said that the country had witnessed many such deadlocks earlier too and it would be resolved by the next session of Parliament two months later.

Shinde ruled out the possibility of mid-term polls, saying that the UPA government was strong enough to complete its term. While defending the diesel price hike, Shinde said that it was inevitable and not only the country but the entire world was going through tough times with respect to economy. He said that there was no alternative than to increase diesel prices. He pointed out that the government did not increase petrol and kerosene prices on Friday.

“Foreign direct investment in retail was inevitable and with these reforms the country can sustain the growth rate,” he added.