If Kejriwal can give money, I can reduce oil prices: Moily

Rejecting Arvind Kejriwal's allegation on gas pricing issue, Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily on Tuesday hit back at the Delhi Chief Minister and said that price fixing of petroleum products is done as per expert advice.

The Minister also said he took special interest to ensure that the CNG and PNG prices are reduced.

"I think I should sympathise with his ignorance. He should know how the government functions, how these things are done...I took special interest to ensure that the CNG and PNG prices are reduced. You should know that," Moily said.

He was reacting to Kejriwal's announcement that Delhi Government would file criminal case against former Petroleum Minister Murli Deora, Veerappa Moily, industrialist Mukesh Ambani and others on gas pricing issue.

Kejriwal said the Anti Corruption Branch (ACB) of Delhi Government has been asked to probe the matter based on a complaint filed by former Cabinet Secretary TSR Subrmanian, former Navy Chief Admiral Tahiliani and eminent lawyer Kamini Jaiswal besides a former Expenditure Secretary.

"It is not the question of Mukesh or Deora....There should be a certain system for fixing the prices. I think nothing is done without expert advice and also with regard to the availability," Moily said.

He said, "Kejriwal thinks that we can take out oil just like taking water from a well in a bucket."

"We can not take the oil like that," he said. The Minister said India is importing 73 to 75 per cent of the petroleum product, which requires more than $165 and $170 billion.

"If he (Kejriwal) can give some money, I think we will be very happy to reduce the prices," Moily said.