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Decide on oil firms' selloff: Samata

BS Political Bureau in New Delhi

Inner contradictions within the Sangh Parivar may intensify as the Samata Party on Thursday virtually dared the government to take a final view on the divestment of the oil sector PSUs - Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation. Samata Party spokesman Shambhu Srivastava said his party would extend full support to any decision taken by the government.

"We want this decision to be taken before the commencement of the Winter Session of Parliament," Srivastava said, referring to party president George Fernandes' statement that he was for the divestment of the oil majors "as soon as possible".

With the Samata Party launching an attack on the government's divestment policy at the party's national council at Rajkot, the party's latest move is seen as an attempt to play up differences within the government and the Hindutva fold over the divestment of the oil PSUs.

Srivastava's statement shifted the onus of continuing disinvestment of HPCL and BPCL on the government.

The issue of oil sector divestment is being deliberately raised to expose the fissures within the government and the on-going tussle between a section of Bharatiya Janata Party leaders and the swadeshi guards within the Rashtriya Swaya-msevak Sangh.

Even top RSS leaders are learnt to have rebuffed the government's attempt to persuade them to moderate their stance on the issue.

"We told the government to set their own house in order" said a top RSS leader, while referring to consultation between senior RSS leaders and Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee recently.

In this context, Samata Party president and Union defence minister George Fernandes' carefully raised doubts over the "pace and procedures" of divestment policy appears to be political positioning. Given the fact that the RSS has strong views against the disinvestment of the oil sector PSUs, Fernandes' stance on the issue conforms with that of a strong lobby within the Sangh Parivar.

The Samata Party's tactical move has caused a flutter in pro-divestment lobby within the government and the BJP. Taken aback by the Samata Party's offensive, a BJP general secretary prepared a note on the divestment and dismissed the allegations that the PSUs being sold off were undervalued.

The note explained that the rise and fall in share prices depended on the prevailing market situation.

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