BJP has upped the ante against the government and the standoff between the government and opposition has escalated with the demands of resignation of Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh over the Coal scam.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Coal and Steel has on Tuesday suggested scrapping of mines that have not started production calling the coal mine allocations from 1993 to 2010 as unauthorised and illegal.

In a report tabled in the Parliament, the committee said the mines were allocated in most non-transparent manner and natural resources were distributed to few fortunates through abuse of power by the ruling dispensation.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi was dismissive of the demand for the Prime Minister’s resignation.