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New Delhi: CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta on Thursday alleged that "a gigantic scam was being enacted" in the process of gas price revision for KG D-6 basin and sought Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's immediate intervention in the matter.
He sought the removal of Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily alleging that the Petroleum Ministry was offering "generous assistance" to Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) by suggesting a price higher than that recommended by the Rangarajan Committee.
Addressing a press conference, he said "the Petroleum Ministry is also supporting RIL's case and seems determined to given an increase beyond what has been recommended by the Rangarajan Committee formula."
Quoting his letter to the Prime Minister on the issue, Dasgupta claimed that "from all indications, it is evident that Petroleum Minister is anxious not only to ignore the positions taken by the Power Ministry and Department of Fertilisers but also go far beyond the recommendations of Rangarajan Committee."
"This is a gigantic scam that is in the process of being enacted through the generous assistance of the Petroleum Ministry. This is a national loot of the country's natural resources. This will be the biggest crime if it is allowed to happen in the tenure of UPA-II. I, therefore request you to intervene personally to ensure that this is pre-empted," Dasgupta said in the letter.
He said "if former Telecommunication Minister A Raja, Law Minister Ashwani Kumar and Railway Minister P K Bansal can go, why should Moily be allowed to continue in office."
Commenting on the CPI leader's charges, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said, "I have not seen any proposal from the Oil and Natural Gas Ministry. When the proposal comes to the Cabinet, the Cabinet will consider."
"I am sure all views will be presented before the Cabinet and these will be considered," he said.
