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Journalism of Courage
Justifying its decision to file an SLP in the Supreme Court in the dispute between Mukesh Ambani-held RIL and Anil Ambani-held RNRL,the government today said it was not in favour of making any exception for Anil Ambanis Dadri power plant in UP based on the MoU between RIL and RNRL. Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said in the Lok Sabha today that the Dadri power plant would be allocated gas in accordance with the governments Gas Utilisation Policy that gives precedence to urea plants,existing power plants,existing LPG plants,city gas distribution projects,gas-based steel plants and captive power plants over plants in the pipeline.
As far as RNRLs Dadri power plant is concerned8230; this plant is neither installed nor functional. The intention of the government is very clear. We will allocate gas to the Dadri plant subject to availability and the plant will be treated on the same footing as other similar plants placed under similar circumstances, Deora said in response to SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadavs allegations against the government over supply of gas to the Dadri plant in UP. It may be noted that no gas has been allocated to any plant which is not existing or functional, Deora said.
He Deora must resign. I am demanding it. If the leader of the House does not agree to it,then this government will lose its credibility, Mulayam was heard saying from his seat.
The issue created an uproar in the Lok Sabha as soon as it assembled for the day with Mulayam Singh raising this matter even as BSP and BJP members cried foul over Congresss plan to set up an independent Bundelkhand Authority. This forced the adjournment of the Question Hour. Deora made a statement in the House soon after it assembled again at noon. Even Congress members from Andhra Pradesh,including TDP members led by Nama Nageshwar Rao,rose in unison,demanding Andhras share of gas. This forced leader of the House and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee to intervene and point out that the governments response was not about gas allocation but only a response to the points raised by Mulayam Singh Yadav.
Later,SP members wrote a letter to the Prime Minister,expressing their displeasure with the governments response on the matter. Even SP general secretary Amar Singh,who is recuperating in Singapore,has written a letter to the Prime Minister after Deoraa response today. The two separate letters by SP members,one signed by Mulayam Singh Yadav and his colleagues in the Lok Sabha and the other signed by Ram Gopal Yadav and his colleagues from the Rajya Sabha,contended that the governments petition in the Supreme Court was not only likely to cause a nearly Rs 20,000-crore loss for the government-owned NTPC but was also likely to increase the per-unit cost for the consumers.
Amar Singh,in his letter,has alleged a scam worth Rs 100,000 crore and accused the Petroleum Minister of deliberately issuing instructions not to protect the interests of a PSU like NTPC and demanded Deoras resignation.
