Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Limited through its subsidiary Reliance Jio Infocomm Limited (RJIL), has today filed a petition in the Punjab and Haryana High Court seeking the urgent intervention of Government authorities in curbing the vandalism of its towers and other communication infrastructure. In a statement, RIL said that it has nothing to do with the three farm laws currently being debated in the country, and in no way benefits from them. During the last few days, properties of Reliance have been vandalised by protesters in the state of Punjab and Haryana to register their protest against the three new farm laws.
The largest private listed company in India said that the vandalism has been instigated and aided by vested interests and its business rivals. “The miscreants indulging in vandalism have been instigated and aided by vested interests and our business rivals,” it said while adding that these vested interests have launched an incessant, malicious and motivated vilification campaign against Reliance.
Mukesh Ambani fined Rs 15 crore by SEBI; here’s all you need to know about the 13-year old case
Reliance added that its subsidiaries Reliance Retail, Reliance Jio Infocomm or any other affiliate firm have not done any corporate or contract farming in the past, and have absolutely no plans to enter this business. The statement added that RIL has neither purchased any agricultural land, in Punjab or Haryana or anywhere else while saying that it has no intention of doing so now. “It (RIL) has never entered into long-term procurement contracts to gain unfair advantage over farmers or sought that its suppliers buy from farmers at less than remunerative prices, nor will it ever do so,” the statement said.
Mukesh Ambani’s RIL which operates one of three major telecommunication networks in India, Jio, had 140 lakh customers at the end of October 94 lakh subscribers in Haraya, translating to 36% and 34% of the entire subscriber base of the two states, respectively.
Extending support to farmer’s demand to ‘get a fair and profitable price’ for their produce, RIL said that it shall insist on its suppliers to strictly abide by the Minimum Support Price (MSP) mechanism or any other mechanism for a remunerative price for farm produce, as may be determined and implemented by the government.
Through its petition in Punjab and Haryana High Court, Mukesh Ambani’s Reliance Industries has sought punitive and deterrent action against ‘miscreants and vested interests’. Additionally, Adani Group also took to Twitter yesterday to clarify that its Silo Grain Storage infrastructure came up in 2007. Gautam Adani’s firm rubbished the allegations that the infrastructure owned by the Adani Group was in someway set up with the help of the current ruling dispensation.