Divestment Minister Arun Shourie on Thursday declined to comment on reports that Indian companies would be kept out of bidding in the divestment process relating to public sector oil companies.
"I will not comment on anything... Parliament session is on," he told reporters when asked about reports that government proposed to keep Indian companies, both in public and private sector out of the race for acquiring HPCL, which was listed for divestment through a strategic sale route.
When asked about the reported decision taken as part of compromise formula to break the deadlock over the divestment in the two oil PSUs, Divestment Secretary Pradeep Baijal said he was not aware of it.
In a bid to overcome the stalemate on the issue, an informal meeting of senior Cabinet ministers called by Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee on December 5 took a unanimous view.
Subsequently, Shourie had made a statement in Parliament on December 9 to announce the government decision to divest in HPCL through sale of equity to a strategic partner and sell shares to public in case of BPCL.
Immediately after this, Petroleum Minister Ram Naik had gone on record that his ministry would consider proposals from PSUs like ONGC and GAIL to bid for HPCL and if necessary take permission from the Cabinet Committee on Divestment.
