Deora hits out at Ambanis, says people own gas

Amidst the legal battle between RIL and and RNRL over gas from Kaveri basin, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora today hit out at the Ambani brothers for fighting over a natural resource that belongs to the government and the people of the country.

"I am personally appalled and disgusted at how these two brothers are fighting over something that belongs to the government and the people of India, Deora said, adding, "It does not belong to them."

Incidentally, Anil Ambani has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh virtually accusing virtually the Oil Ministry of doing a volte-face on gas pricing, saying its stand in the Supreme Court was in total variance with what it had said in Parliament.

Seeking protection against what he called the overt and covert attempts and "partisan and biased approach" of the Petroleum Ministry to intervene in a commercial dispute with RIL, Anil wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh offering to meet and explain the issues.

The government in a separate petition filed last week in the Supreme Court has asserted its rights to fix gas prices and its utilisation.