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MR. CHAIRMAN : Sir, you have already taken half an hour. How much more time do you require?

SHRI SOMNATH CHATTERJEE : Until I finish my speech. I will try to cooperate.

What are the aims of this fine-tuning? They are, modernisation and upgradation of public sector enterprises. These are your words, Shri Shourie. Shri Ram Naik has thoroughly failed; you have failed to modernise and upgrade these two navratnas. Were they asked to create new assets? How are you ensuring further generation of employment by selling away these two important undertakings?

But what is happening today it to the contrary and disinvestment process has been initiated even without the obtaining the approval of the Parliament.

"You may say whatever you want to say but we would go ahead in our own way", is what the Government is saying to itself when this discussion is going on in this House. There is no voting at the end of this discussion. So the Government cannot later on claim that they have soght and obtained the permission from the Parliament.
You have forgotten that the Government at the Centre has been formed after forging an alliance with your alliance partners. Your own NDA members like Samata, Trinamool, Shiv Sena and Janata Dal (U) are opposing this move … (interruptions) Your own Minister from your own party Shri Ram Naik opposed this move stoutly in the beginning. He was contained when it was proposed that ONGC may buy HPCL. It is proposed to mobilise about 10,000 crore rupees to the exchequer by way of this disinvestment. Your own ally, the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch says that the pricing should be transparent and it will fetch more.
   

SHRI PRAKASH PARANJPE (THANE): Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Sir, I will take only five minutes.

I have heard both the sides about the disinvestment of Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and the Bharat Petroleum Corporation. I am not going into the merits of the disinvestment and whether it is good or bad. But, I am requesting one thing from this Government. The Shiv Sena supremo has given us a directive to oppose disinvestment of both the companies. About the plus and minus points, as I have said, a ruling Party Member has said that any Government doing business will not be doing it efficiently. Yet, I would like to tell the House that instead of appreciating the best work and excellent work done by your own Minister, hon. Shri Ram Naik, and instead of appreciating the achievements in this field, you are discouraging Shri Ram Naik for the good things which he has done in the interest of the country.

If it is done by any other Government, the previous Government when they were not handling the PSUs in a proper fashion, then we would have admitted that "okay, the Government is not doing it better". But, I can give a list of the good things which have taken place in the tenure of our hon. Minister, Shri Ram Naik where he has shown improvement in this field.

Secondly, I do not understand that when you have allowed private companies to enter into this field, then why are you so much aggressive to sell our own companies also. Let there be competition in both the companies. The customer will get a better price if the private field is there who is selling petrol at a lesser price. Then, we have to think about our companies, the Government companies and as to how they can reduce their expenses and give a competitive price. Competition is always welcome. That does not mean that because you are not able to do the business, you want to sell them.