(telephone rings)
Manoj: Ha boss (yess boss?) Radia: Manoj what's wrong with that article? Manoj: Sorry.
Radia: Huh! Manoj: Sorry. Radia: What is wrong with that article I don't undrestand, I told Shrini what's wrong with that article?
Manoj: Hmm. Radia: I mean I don't think anything wrong with it. Manoj: Hmm.
Radia: I mean it's fine... the point of fake and ruthless and all that but that fake....eventually, it's fun. Manoj: Hmm.
Radia: Ruthless she's harsh, you know she's not harsh she's silly if I mean that's Shobhaa De.
Manoj: Hmm. Radia: I mean in 8 years I've never let her close to Ratan Tata. Manoj: Hmm.
Radia: I've never allowed her to come close to Ratan Tata. Manoj: Hmm. Radia: She's sent so many mails complaining about Vaishnavi and all that...
Manoj: Hmm. Radia: The only one reason she wanted to do... I never let her close to him. Manoj: Hmm.
Radia: So I cant, I don't understand what is the... fine you know... the fact that you didn't call Society and all that that's wrong... you know that is a mistake but...
Manoj: These were edited... these were edited from Hello they called if you remember we asked...them to check the copy before it goes to print.
Radia: So this is the edited part, this is on Antilia also I believe she set the tone on Antilia.
Radia: I actually believe she set the tone. Manoj: Yes.
Radia: So, somebody telling her something else is obviously very wrong. Manoj: Hmm.
Radia: You know and she's saying that Chayya Momaya and all of them... Shrini also agrees with me that Chayya and the others are winding her up. Manoj: Hmm.
Radia: So she needs to understand that image management is not about... few people.
Radia: And I may tell her that on the call... Manoj: Hmm. Radia: And... you know you may need to tell her her again that your sorry about Society. Manoj: Yeah...yeah
Radia: And that you should have met which I believe you did yesterday and I'll tell her that, I believe you did apologise yesterday but...
Radia: huh!?
Manoj: No we're meeting them on Thursday... that advertising... Radia: No, fine. But you make sure now Natty attends that... this thing... I've spoken to Natasha...
Manoj: Theek hai (Ok). Radia: You may have to hand her over the... a couple of your guys like Leeladhar or somebody whoever you think needs to go but.. ...but share with her what you think, and then let it go from here. Manoj: Yeah.
Radia: Yeah... the thing is that what I am going to suggest you is... I have a 2:30 meeting I told Shrini lets keep it 3:30 because I can't come out of that meeting, huh.. Manoj: Theek hai (Ok). Radia: Theek hai (Ok). Toh woh tum ek baar dekhke (have a look at it once) then lets discuss.
Radia: The other thing I wanted to ask you is this BS edit and this BS article that Kartik has sent, what is the meaning of this? Are we...is this good for us in terms of the upward pricing issue or is it bad for us?
Manoj: No, it's just that our price seems to be the benchmark price now because the administered pricing is... lower than what our price is.. Radia: Hmm.
Manoj: So, ONGC is crying foul saying that why don't you give us the price that is being offered to a private player like RIL. Radia: Hmm.
Manoj: So... basically.. Radia: Or 4.2 Manoj: Yeah.
Manoj: But Bhide has a view that... and the article which has been forwarded... Bhide has a view that there is a taxation issue. See the government and the NELP had said that anything which is explored, which is mineral oil, will be given tax redemption for seven years. Radia: Hmm.
Manoj: Now, last year in the fiscal and the budget Chidambaram announced that mineral oil means only oil and not natural gas, to which we had said that there should be a clarification that it (in)cludes natural gas and therefore we are exempt from paying tax for the next seven years. Radia: Hmm.
Manoj: Bhide has come up with some calculations saying that it will hit 40,000 crores.... Government will lose 40,000 crores if tax breaks are given for gas production. Radia: Hmm.
Manoj: So that is the... I mean, we are hopeful that the finance ministry will issue a clarification,... - because the petrol ministry has already written to the finance ministry that NELP future rounds will get impacted if you don't give this tax break.
Radia: Ha (yeah) but Bhide is their man na? Bhide is completely their man... he is there only till the sixth... till august or something...
Radia: - OK so basically its about the fact that ok if you remove the administered.. remove the pricing issue... Manoj: No...no don't mix the two, the edict and this, is two different issues... the edict is around the administered pricing issue and ONGC clamouring for market determined prices which at this point of time is said to be 4.2. Radia: Haan. (Okay)
Manoj: And ONGC is mandated to sell cheaper gas because its a government entity. Radia: Hmm. Manoj: So, ONGC chairman has been saying 'why should I be selling at a subsidised rate if private players are allowed to sell at a higher rate?'
Radia: Ya, which is fair, but again at the same time, their refining agent can also be take up no? Manoj: Sorry? Radia: Then the level-playing can apply even when it came to the refining issues. Manoj: Yeah...yeah...yeah that is what this entire clamouring for deregulation ....deregularisation is around the APM administered price for gas, APM administered price for petrol and diesel. So everyone is clamouring for market-detemined prices, at this point of time. Radia: Hmm.
Manoj: Only place where they will not implement it is going to be LPG. Radia: Hmm.
Manoj: We've been asking to go slow even on the petrol pump opening because...the internal thought is that there maybe deregularisation that will happen. But then why open it now or why do any fancy...
Radia: Why take losses now? haan... Manoj: Yeah. Radia: OK.. ok Manoj: Because crude has already gone beyond 60 around 62 - 63 at this point of time. Radia: Ha (yeah). Manoj: We make losses even on diesel. Radia: Ahh!
Manoj: So, thats... Radia: Ok...
Manoj: They are talking about short term prices, not over long term. Radia: Ok.
Radia: Now the other thing is Bodhi called me just now wanting a quote on the channel from Mukesh Ambani and Ratan Tata...I told him I...
Radia: ....I told him Bodhi I cant do that because you always have asked me for silly things. I think I'm sure Mukesh will write, and so will Ratan, to Sameer, congratulating him on the channel, which I know was done in the case of Times Now in any case. But to say that you want to put that quote in the newspaper it becomes extremely cheap. I wish you wouldn't do things like this, because I don't think that's the way they want to... I think that... you need to start thinking a litle bit more out of the box. Manoj: Hmm. Radia: Than just having the quotes of Ratan Tata and.. this one right?
Radia: First he went into this whole RBI story today. Manoj: Hmm. Radia: Actually is challenging the fact... that Tata's got away with it. And RBI actually was very angry, that SBI had made it a fait accompli. So I said you know why are you so upset about it? Seriously agenda pe admi hai...bahut seriously agenda pe admi hai (The man is very seriously on his agenda). Barring Amitabh Jhunjhunwala isko koi najar nahi aata hai (He cant think of anybody else). Manoj: Hmm.
Manoj: Aaj woh logone campaign break kia (Today they've revealed thier campaign) I don't know whether its come in Delhi. Radia: Ha (Yeah) it's come. My God! I want a note Manoj, I've told Vishal for a note on that. Manoj: Yeah. It's 150...150 crores... I was actually trying to get a press release. Radia: Ha (yeah). Manoj: I was trying to get a press release if they have issued but media has reported that it's a 150 crores campaign that they've unleashed. Radia: That's right.
Radia: .So how are you going to manage this? Manoj: Hmm. Radia: The environment how are you going to take note of the environment..? Manoj: hmmm Radia: HT mein aya hai? (has it come in HT).
Manoj: Nahin HT mein nahin (Not in HT) but they will start...I mean they will give... dole out the goodies to everybody.
Radia: No, no but I want a mail- I told Vishal.. Manoj I want a mail which says that you know... you need to send me a mail or Vishal and... Manoj: Yeah...yeah...yeah I understood I was just waiting for if there was any official comment. They have not... Radia: No...no the mail you need to send to me is that- look you know that I've always been trying to tell you this - there is a campaign that is going to unleash.
Radia: I've been telling you advertising plays a very critical role. Manoj: Hmm.
Radia: Now watch how this is being used. This is being used in ET times already because they are facing the brunt of it last 3 months because this was already promised to them. Manoj: Yeah
Radia: We pointed it out to you time and again that our challenges are going to be only enhanced.... And they are using at all times just one currency, which is what we built over the relationship with the Tatas. Manoj: Hmm. Radia: We've not used anything else, we cannot use...maybe Vishal should write that mail which says that we cannot deplete the Tata currency because it'll hurt the Tata brand.... So can't do that. But at the same time we've tried to use as much as we can...and now we are faced with having to cope with this other factor because already the... feedback, - the way the reactions are happening with the- vis-a-vis...
Radia: Some of the journalists... Manoj: Hmm. Radia: Is already as if they have... and I'm sure that Raghav is going to start clamouring for this campaign. Manoj: Hmm
Radia: CNN-IBN has already got it for the leverage that has been pulled on this...huh. Manoj: Hmm.
Radia: You tell me you have... the mail has to be - please tell me how do you want to face upto this, because I don't know.. Manoj: Theek hai (Ok). I'll draft it and then I'll ask (?) to send it to you. Radia: Yeah.
Radia: You'll have to say this white paper campaign, and you know all this, we keep on telling you its..its not...these are basics you know... Then... I think you'll have to mail this I saw it and was extremely...you know am actually worried. Radia: Kyunki kya hoga mujhe nahin pata na? (because I don't know what will happen no?) Manoj: Hmm.
Radia: You can say the government's not doing anything about anything that these guys have done. So the media has no basis to comment. We cannot rely on this white paper. Therefore, now there has to be substantive stuff. Manoj: Yeah. Radia: ...In order to cope with this sort of situation.
Radia: If you're expecting us to go all out and against them, please do not expect it to happen on white paper. Manoj: Yeah. Radia: Or empty letter. it will have on meaning. Manoj: Theek hai (Ok). Radia: Now it has to be substantive, and action taken by government ...you have to ... Vishal has to put it on a very... as though he's really frustrated with me. Radia: Really say that the team is extremely demoralised. Manoj: Hmm.
Radia: You know and this thing...yeah Manoj: Theek hai (Ok). (ends abruptly)