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The FIR filed by the Anti-Corruption Bureau at the behest of the AAP on the contentious issue of domestic gas pricing has questioned the BJP’s silence on the matter. The issue involved here is revising the gas price from Reliance Industries Ltd-operated KG D6 block. The revised price which will be effective April 1 will almost double the rates of the domestically produced gas. The prices are expected to be about $8.4 a unit (gas is measured in million British thermal unit).

In the FIR, the complaints feared that the gas price rise would cost the country a minimum of INR 54,500 crore annually. “The fact that this decision was taken in advance by the present Government shows that it wanted to favour RIL for corrupt considerations, which would help with the expenditure for the upcoming national elections.

“This is also the reason…the BJP is silent on the issue, as during election time when huge slush of funds is required by the major parties, no one is willing to speak against this decision, even though the price rise is normally an important political issue,” the complainants said.

The FIR is based on the complaints by TSR Subramanium (Former Cabinet Secretary), EAS Sarma (former Secretary), RH Tahiliani (former Navel Chief) and Kamini Jaiswal (Senior Advocate). Allegations have been made against Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister M Veerappa Moily, former Petroleum & Natural Gas Minister Murli Deora, former Director General of Hydrocarbons VK Sibal and Reliance Industries Chairman Mukesh Ambani.

Source-On Request