Kejriwal Hatsoff

[Jilebi]

Activist-turned politician Arvind Kejriwal, who has attacked Congress president Sonia Gandhi's son-in-law Robert Vadra for his alleged business links with DLF and BJP chief Nitin Gadkari over the issue of corruption, on Wednesday targeted Mukesh Ambani for his alleged business links with both the Congress and the BJP.

Kejriwal also questioned Reliance Industries chief Mukesh Ambani for his role in influencing Congress party's decisions.

Kejriwal said: "Will expose industrialist-politician nexus."

Prashant Bhushan on Wednesday said that the Wednesday's expose is based on the Niira Radia tape conversation.

India Against Corruption's main allegations:

* In 2006, Mani Shankar Iyer was removed and Murli Deora brought in to increase RIL capex from $ 2.39 billion to $ 8.8 billion and to increase gas price from $2.34 per mmBTU to $ 4.2 per mmBTU

* In 2012, Jaipal Reddy has been removed and Moily brought in to increase gas prices from $ 4.2 per mmBTU to $ 14.2 mmBTU and to condone RIL’s blackmailing of reducing gas production

* Both BJP and Congress involved. BJP signed a sweet deal with RIL in 2000. Congress faithfully implemented it

* If RIL demand of increasing the gas price to $ 14.2 is accepted, it would lead to shut down of several gas based power plants and increase in power and fertilizer prices

* By this deal, RIL would benefit by an additional Rs. 43,000 crore

* In Nira Radiia tapes, Ranjan Bhattacharya (Vajpayee’s son in law) is heard telling Nira that Mukesh Ambani told him –“Congress to ab apni dukaan hai”

* Huge benefits given to RIL in last one decade despite flagrant violations of various agreements by RIL. Benefits to RIL causing serious price rise in the country.

While talking to reporters, Kejriwal said that in 2006, Mani Shankar Iyer was removed and Murli Deora brought in to increase RIL capex from $ 2.39 billion to $ 8.8 billion and to increase gas price from $2.34 per mmBTU to $ 4.2 per mmBTU.

"In 2012, Jaipal Reddy had been removed and Moily brought in to increase gas prices from $ 4.2 per mmBTU to $ 14.2 mmBTU and to condone RIL's blackmailing of reducing gas production," he said.

"Huge benefits given to RIL in last one decade despite flagrant violations of various agreements by RIL. Benefits to RIL causing serious price rise in the country."

He also said: "Both BJP and Congress involved. BJP signed a sweet deal with RIL in 2000. Congress faithfully implemented it."

The IAC press release says: "In the Nira Radia tapes, Ranjan Bhattacharya (Vajpayee's son in law) is heard telling Niira that Mukesh Ambani told him 'Congress to ab apni dukaan hai."

Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan also talked about facts to explain both Congress and BJP were in 'Ambani's pocket'.

The IAC says: "In order to pressurize the government, RIL substantially reduced its production of natural gas. Total consumption of natural gas in the country is 156 mmscmd. According to agreement, RIL was supposed to produce 80mmscmd (more than 50% of the total demand) from 2009."

"RIL got this contract during NDA regime in the year 2000. The contract was meant to favor RIL right from the beginning. In any business, increase in costs means decrease in profits."

The IAC press release showed that performance of RIL so far has been much worse than perhaps the worst performing government department.

1. 4 times cost escalation within 2 years from $ 2.39 billion in 2004 to $ 8.8 billion in 2006.
2. Increase in gas price from $ 2.34 per mmBTU in 2004 to $ 4.2 per mmBTU in 2007 to the present demand of $ 14.2 per mmBTU.
3. Capacity created for producing 80 mmscmd after incurring such a huge cost ends up producing just 27 mmscmd after 12 years.
4. 31 oil wells should have been in production till now. Out of them, just 13 are functional.

The IAC said this scam is on similar lines as Coal block allocation scam. Coal blocks were given away saying that coal production was less in the country and private sector participation would increase coal production. Rather than produce coal, the private parties hoarded coal blocks to sell them at appropriate time in future.

Kejriwal on Wednesday questioned the role of the Prime Minister in the whole episode of favouring Reliance Industries.

The IAC said: "PM was very sympathetic to RIL. PM requested Ministry of Petroleum to seek AG¡¦s opinion on whether gas prices could be increased midway as demanded by Reliance. It is strange why did the PM not show similar concern when NTPC was forced to accept higher gas price from RIL? Why is the PM not pulling up Reliance for not producing 80 mmscmd gas as per their commitment? Why did the PM not seek legal opinion when country¡¦s interests were at stake? Why is PM showing so much interest when RIL interests are at stake?"

It also says: "This episode explains the real reasons for price rise in the country. The government seems to be succumbing to illegitimate demands of some powerful corporates in the country (like RIL in this case). Benefits provided to RIL in this case contributed to price rise in power and fertilizer sectors. Similarly, on one hand, government says that they do not have Rs. 35,000 crores to provide LPG subsidy to the people, on the other hand, the government bends backwards to provide benefits to these corporate."

[cherlapalli_jailer]

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[Mr Mirchi]

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[jbourne]

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[iTeachSAP]

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[prayaanam]

Looks like promising person. But prajalu gelipinchaali....chooddaam