NEW DELHI: Days after having sent its comments on the gas dispute issue and on the points raised by Reliance Natural Resources Limited (RNRL) chairman, Anil Ambani, the Petroleum and Natural Gas Minister, Murli Deora on Wednesday met the Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh to apprise him about the Government's stand on the issue and steps taken by the Ministry in public interest.
Mr. Deora, who has been accused by Mr. Anil Ambani of favouring his elder brother, Mukesh Ambani's Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) in the gas dispute case, met Dr. Singh in his office on Wednesday afternoon and had a ``satisfying'' meeting. ``The Prime Minister fully supported the stand of the Petroleum Ministry that has been taken in the interest of the people of the country. It was just a courtesy call where many issues pertaining to the Ministry were discussed,'' Mr. Deora said after the meeting.
Refusing to divulge anything further about his meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr. Deora said the matter is sub-judice and he would not like to comment anything in public about it. Mr. Deora's visit to South Block comes close on the heels of the reply sent by the Petroleum Ministry to the comments sought by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) to the letter written by the Mr. Anil Ambani to the Prime Minister on July 15.
The meeting also comes amid confusion within the Petroleum Ministry over the gas dispute issue with the Ministry and the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons speaking in different voices. While the Petroleum Ministry has been maintaining that gas is a national asset and recognition of the private MoU between the two Ambani brothers would harm national interest, the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons led by its head, V.K. Sibal has come in for strong criticism for claiming that capex expenditure of Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) to the tune of Rs. 45,000 crore had been audited by Comptroller and Auditor General of India. CAG had denied that it had audited the accounts of the private operators and instead said despite requests documents pertaining to the Production Sharing Contract (PSC) of the private companies had not been made available to it.
Officials in the Petroleum Ministry said the DGH had conveyed to them that CAG had been provided with the necessary documents they had asked. Despite repeated attempts Mr. Sibal was not available for comments on the CAG rejoinder.
However, officials in the Ministry said a ``gag order'' had been put in place in the Petroleum Ministry and officials have been asked not to speak in public about the case in view of its sensitive nature.
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