No question of stalling gas price hike, Delhi Government's actions unconstitutional: Moily

Union Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister M. Veerappa Moily on Friday said that there was no question of stalling the gas price hike from April 1, and added that the Delhi Government's decision to file an FIR against him and others is unconstitutional.

"There is no question of stalling the gas price hike from April 1, and, I don't think that the Delhi Government is our appellate authority," said Moily.

"What the Delhi Government is doing is unconstitutional and against federal principles. It is very clear that they are exercising power which is extra-constitutional or contrary to constitutional provisions," he said.

Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal has written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to put on hold the gas price hike from April 1 till a case pending before the Supreme Court is disposed off.

On Tuesday, Kejriwal had revealed that a case had been filed by the Delhi Anti-Corruption Bureau against two UPA Ministers-Murli Deora and M.Veerappa Moily-and Reliance Industries Chairperson Mukesh Ambani for allegedly conspiring to inflate gas prices in the Delhi/National Capital Region.

Kejriwal said ACB officials filed the cases on the basis of a complaint lodged against Reliance Industries.