Rebutting the AAP charge that Mukesh Ambani runs the UPA Government, Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Tuesday said huge penalties have been imposed on Reliance Industries for producing less than the committed quantity of gas, and that bank guarantees would be taken before allowing any price hike.

Chidambaram, who was involved in the decision to allow all domestic natural gas producers, including RIL, to almost double prices from April, called the FIR registered by the AAP Government against Oil Minister M Veerappa Moily and others for raising gas prices “laughable”.

“These are throwaway lines which do not deserve to be replied to,” he told PTI when asked about the charge levied by Kejriwal and his party that Ambani ran the Government.

“The Petroleum Ministry has imposed a huge penalty on RIL. The Petroleum Ministry has required them to furnish a bank guarantee for the undelivered quantity of gas pending the issue of a price rise. So, how can anyone say that this Government is run by a businessman,” he said.

No rollback Chidambaram said the Government would not go back on its decision to raise gas prices for both public sector and private producers from April 1.

“Mr Moily has said that the decision of the Cabinet will be given effect on April 1. That’s the Government’s position and I think Mr Moily is right,” he said.

Days before he quit as Delhi Chief Minister, Kejriwal ordered the filing of a police complaint against Moily, RIL and its Chairman, Mukesh Ambani, for creating an artificial shortage of gas in the country and raising prices.

Related Topics
comment COMMENT NOW