The general secretary of the Indian Oil Employees Union (Chennai), T.S. Rangarajan is unhappy with the government decision and he feels that it is "trying to split Indian Oil for disinvestment in the most cavalier fashion." However, Rangarajan has ruled out any violent protests and has stated that his members will use "peaceful means" before resorting to an indefinite strike come November.

According to the president of the Indian Oil Officers Association, E. Haque, his association was "trying to persuade the government to give up the ill-conceived idea of privatising Indian Oil" and he alleges that that the whole deal smacks of multi-national corporations trying to "capture public sector utility assets at a very cheap rate."

The minister, however, did not seem unduly worried by the mounting pressure. According to Naik, "Members of the officers association met me to express their apprehensions against the proposal. I assured them that these factors will be taken up at an appropriate forum in the government. There is need for patience as the Cabinet has given three months' time to find a way out of the oil sector sell off logjam."