New Delhi: Congress on September 16 hailed the Supreme Court decision restraining government from privatising oil majors Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) and Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited (BPCL) without Parliamentary approval and said it would oppose their disinvestment "tooth and nail" in both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Describing the verdict on "expected lines", Congress spokesman S Jaipal Reddy regretted that the government did not agree with its logic that the two companies, which were nationalised through an Act of Parliament, could be privatised only through an Act of Parliament.

Besides, he said attorney general Soli Sorabjee gave a "wrong opinion".

As regards the merits of the proposal of privatisation, he said the Congress would oppose it in Parliament as the party had resolved in the Bangalore plenary that it was against divestment in strategic sector. He expressed confidence that the move would not pass muster in Parliament as there were differences within the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) on the issue.

Party's chief whip in Lok Sabha Priya Ranjan Das Munsi echoed similar feelings saying, "We are against the disinvestment of HPCL and BPCL."

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPM) leader Somnath Chatterjee also welcomed the SC decision and said Parliament should also look into the whole issue of disinvestment afresh.

Time has come to stop the disinvestment of national assets by reckless methods, he added.

"We have never opposed privatisation of loss making state owned units," he said, but stood against the move for profit making and strategic units.

PTI