Parimal Nathwani

Ranchi, Nov. 21: Rajya Sabha member and corporate honcho Parimal Nathwani has said that he never used the floor of the House to promote business interests of Reliance Industries Ltd (RIL).

Nathwani, also the group president (corporate affairs) of RIL, told The Telegraph: “I never showed any conflict of interest in the Upper House. In fact, I have asked the maximum number of questions related to Jharkhand, more than any MP from the state, in the Rajya Sabha.”

He was elected to the Upper House as an Independent in April 2008 much to the discomfiture of the JMM, whose official nominee Kishori Lal had to eat humble pie.

“The questions ranged from tourist arrivals, funds for panchayats, micro-nutrient disorders, electrification, Naxalite violence to setting up of an institution similar to AIIMS in Jharkhand. It is all on the Rajya Sabha website,” Nathwani said. The MP was in Ranchi last week to hand over the keys of the renovated building of RMC hospital to the deputy mayor.

Brinda Karat had raised the issue of conflict of interest in the Rajya Sabha in August 2009 after Nathwani defended his company in response to a call attention motion moved by CPM MP Tapan Sen on availability of natural gas for power generation.

Reacting to Nathwani’s advocacy of RIL, the CPM leader sought reconsideration of rule 294, under which a member can declare conflict of interest right before he speaks.

“I interfered since the issue involved a dispute between the two brothers (Mukesh Ambani and Anil Ambani). The ethics committee has cleared me so far,” Nathwani maintained.

“When I contested the elections, people created all sorts of rumours that I was eyeing mines in Jharkhand. Three years later, I can say I have given something to the state. Besides, RIL is not interested in investing in Jharkhand,” he added.

Nathwani believed he had to give the state in return for making him an MP.

“But I am not satisfied with what I have done. I can’t do much as an individual MP, but I share my vision with the state (government),” he said.

He pointed out that he had contributed to projects that included a water tank in Islam Nagar, drainage system in Millat Nagar, renovation of Ranchi Municipal Corporation hospital and solar plant at Rendo village. “I have exhausted Rs 5 crore given to an MP annually under the local area development fund. I have also spent some funds from my own purse.”

He also happens to be the vice-president of Gujarat Cricket Association, chairman of Vadodara Stock Exchange and vice-chairman of Dwarkadheesh temple.

Nathwani, a member of a delegation led by chief minister Narendra Modi to China recently, said Gujarat was attracting investments because it was a “policy-driven state”.

“An industrialist needs to know the chief minister and industries minister only in Gujarat. They don’t need to run after every minister to get a minor work done.

“Also, land is made available through the Gujarat Industrial Development Corporation. Gujarat has perhaps the best power and road infrastructure in India,” he said.

Jharkhand, on the other hand, presented a “gloomy picture” to the MP.

“We have resources but we have not been able to attract big investments, except one by JSPL,” Nathwani said.

The state government, he added, should do “at least five things to attract industries”. “It should put policies regarding land and water in place and provide security, roads and power.”

Pointing to Gujarat’s impressive showing despite lacking in natural resources, he said, “Gujarat has no coal resources, but it is a power surplus state. It traded power worth Rs 300 crore last year. But Jharkhand has huge coal reserves and yet imports power to meet domestic demand.”