NEW DELHI: NDA ally JD(U) on Tuesday joined BJP in attacking the government over the removal of S Jaipal Reddy from petroleum ministry, directly accusing it of acting at the behest of Reliance. Party national president Sharad Yadav here said that the government was meant only to "appease Reliance to enable it to make huge illegal profit at the cost of public exchequer’’.

"I am totally perturbed that during our life time we would see such period when a corporate house like Reliance becomes even more powerful than the government,’’ said Yadav.

"As we have learnt from the recent newspapers reports that the government of India functions on the whims and fancies of corporate houses like Reliance to the extent that the cabinet portfolios are being decided by them. An honest minister like Jaipal Reddy has been punished for protecting national interest and saving lakhs of crores for the government,’’ he added.

Praising Reddy, a former colleague in the erstwhile Janata Dal , Yadav said he was "one of the few honest" ministers in the UPA government.

According to Yadav, RIL requested to increase price from $4.2 per unit to $14.2 per unit, an increase of around $10 per unit. "If agreed to, it would mean increase in profit of Reliance by Rs. 22,000 crore in two years, resulting in the same increase in subsidy from the government, even at the low production level projected by Reliance ( only 27 units this year and 18 units next year). This was resisted by the ministry and an EGoM note recommending rejection of the proposal was circulated,’’ he said.

He also took a dig at the new petroleum minister M Veerappa Moily for his statement that decisions will be taken quickly.

"The new minister should also realize that in the name of taking decisions quickly, a loot cannot be allowed," Yadav said.

He said that though the Cabinet reshuffle is the prerogative of the PM, that prerogative cannot be allowed to overrule national interests. He alleged that the reshuffle saw "dynasties getting promotions" in Congress. "Sons of some farmer leaders did get promotion. But one should remember plants that grow in pots do not satisfy the hunger of the nation," he added.

