Duliajan erupts over proposed OIL-IOC merger

Published on:

04 Aug 2017, 6:30 pm

From a Correspondent

Duliajan, Aug 4: Hundreds of All Assam Students’ Union (AASU) activists staged a three-hour sit-in in front of the OIL’s registered office here on Friday against the proposal to merge state-owned Oil India Limited (OIL) with Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) as part of the rendra Modi government’s vision to create integrated oil and gas companies.

Several prominent citizens and locals participated in the protest to express their solidarity. AASU central committee organizing secretary Anil Gogoi, Dibrugarh district unit president in-charge Bulbul Dutta, general secretary Shankarjyoti Baruah, senior jourlist Pradip Kumar Gogoi, Ex AASU leaders Pradip Saikia, Karunjyoti Saikia and Mahendra Dutta were among those present. President, general secretaries and representatives from 15 regiol units under AASU Dibrugarh district unit were also present on the occasion.

The protestors raised several slogans demanding withdrawal of the decision.

Those who addressed the protesters expressed concern on the proposal of the Central Government to merge varat company and pride of Assam OIL with IOCL. They demanded that the Centre should not go ahead with the move as it will hurt the sentiments and emotion of the people of Assam.

The AASU leaders in their speech also warned the Centre that they would not hesitate to intensify their agitation with the support of the people of Assam if the latter undermines the sentiments of the people of the State. They also lashed out at the State Government and local MLA Teros Gowala and MP Rameswar Teli for remaining silent on the issue so far.

The students’ body sent a memorandum to the Prime Minister and its copy to Chief Minister Sarbanda Sonowal conveying their strong resentment and concern over the proposed consolidation and merger move.

Memorandum copies were also sent to Union Petroleum Minister Dharmendra Pradhan, OIL Chairman & Maging Director (CMD) Utpal Bora and Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Laya Madduri.

The memoranda were received by Tenghakhat Revenue Circle Officer Anhsuman Deka. The memorandum addressed to OIL CMD was received by OIL’s Engineering Services Executive Director Kula Deka, Public Affairs Department DGM Dilip Bhuyan, Administration DGM Gautom Borgohain and Administrative Officer Bibhuti Baruah.

There have been reports that the government has already initiated discussion to sell OIL’s 66.13% share to IOC, the country’s biggest oil refiner.

“Once the IOC takes over the majority stakes, OIL will become inconsequential. The OIL headquarters at Duliajan will remain just for mesake once the deal gets through. Everything will be controlled through the headquarters of IOCL at New Delhi. The future of the employees of OIL will also be at stake. It will also affect the CSR activities undertaken by OIL in Assam as these would be controlled by IOCL, if the merger happens. The people of Assam are totally against the government’s decision. OIL is a symbol of pride and identity for Assam,” said AASU’s central organising secretary Anil Gogoi.

It may be mentioned that In the budget speech of 2017, Union Fince Minister Arun Jaitley had indicated the creation of an integrated public sector “oil major” that will be able to match the performance of intertiol and domestic private sector oil and gas companies.

India has 18 state-owned petroleum and gas companies, including IOC, Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Ltd (HPCL), Oil and tural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC), Bharat Petroleum Corporation (BPCL), OIL and Gas Authority of India Ltd (GAIL).

The Union Cabinet, as part of the Centre’s plan to merge HPCL with ONGC had already on 19th July approved the proposal to sell the government’s 51% share in HPCL to ONGC. It is waiting for Cabinet approval.

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