The Ambani brothers’ legal battle on gas supply today reverberated in the Lok Sabha, with Samajwadi Party members demanding Petroleum Minister Murli Deora’s resignation for his role in the dispute, leading to adjournment of the House thrice.
Anil Ambani has accused the petroleum ministry of helping estranged brother Mukesh-run Reliance Industries wriggle out of its commitment to supply gas to the mega Dadri power plant in Uttar Pradesh.
“This is being done for benefit of one individual...We have nothing to do with Anil Ambani,” Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav said as the acrimony over the high-voltage corporate battle led to adjournment of the Lok Sabha for the third time today.
Parliamentary Affairs Minister P K Bansal said the government would reply to the issue on Monday. Yadav questioned the government’s motive in moving the Supreme Court even after the Bombay High Court had given a clear order to RIL to supply gas to various entities. “The reply must come from the government,” said Yadav, under whose chief ministership the Anil Ambani-promoted Dadri power project was initiated.
SP members were up on their feet the moment the Lok Sabha met for the day, forcing Speaker Meira Kumar to adjourn the House for 15 minutes. During the Zero Hour, the members of the SP again raised the issue, leading to adjournment of the House till 2 pm. When it met again, the scenes were repeated, with SP members trooping to the area in front of the Speaker’s podium, forcing the third adjournment for an hour.
Amid the din, Dara Singh Chauhan of the Bahujan Samaj Party was heard remarking that corporate war was being brought to Parliament and “we are not at all concerned with the battle between Anil and Mukesh Ambani”.
SP members Reoti Raman Singh and Shailendra Kumar demanded the resignation of Deora for failing to ensure supply of gas for the Dadri project. Raising the issue, Yadav contended that grave injustice was being done to Uttar Pradesh by denying gas to the Dadri Power plant and added that the state-owned NTPC would also face the brunt to the tune of Rs 30,000 crore.
