The Bharatiya Janata Party on Sunday hit out at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for expressing concern over the economic difficulties faced by the country, saying these were caused by his wrong policies and the “series of scams” taking place during the United Progressive Alliance rule.
“The people of the country don’t expect to hear from the PM about the economic difficulties facing the country, but what he proposes to do to deal with them to improve the economic situation,” BJP’s national spokesman Syed Shahanwaz Hussain told reporters in Patna.
“But the Prime Minister, who had earned accolades for handling the economic situation in the 1990s as the then Finance Minister of the country, has been in the habit of expressing concern with the economic situation and not taking steps expected of him to solve the problems,” Mr. Hussain said.
“It appears that his economic wisdom has turned out to be a liability as the economy is in shambles with inflation, price rise and a series of scams making headlines during all these years of the UPA government,” he added.
Mr. Hussain claimed that the common man and farmers have suffered under the UPA government and only middlemen and power brokers have benefitted.
The BJP’s accusation comes at a time when the UPA government is in the dock over Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar’s letter to the Prime Minister on the Centre “anti-farmer” policies.
Mr. Hussain said the non-plan expenditure of the UPA government has been increasing over the years, but the Prime Minister was not ready to cut it in spite of the “difficult” economic situation faced by the country.
“The Prime Minister should refrain from issuing economic bulletins on a daily basis like medical bulletins issued by hospitals,” he said, adding instead Dr. Singh and Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee should take concrete measures to take the economy out of “the mess“.
To a question on BJP’s suggestions for turning around the economy, Mr. Hussain said the party has several economic experts in its ranks who can give useful advice if the government seeks it.
Keywords: BJP remarks, economic slowdown, Manmohan Singh







India is one of the country where taxes are highest and they call it democracy it is hypocrisy.
Governing a country is like playing a game of chess with good foresight for any international mood changes and correcting impending dangers with constant adjustments and readjustments
The PM cant get his own party and his allies in the government to speak
on one voice on any policy how can people like Iyer and Ravindran can
expect opposition party to give support and suggest to such non active
corrupt government. Admit or not, despite 2002 drought and financial
crisis in the period 2000 -2003 period, BJP handled economy and country
quite well.What was congress record of constructive suggestion as
opposition parties then ?
You dont expect opposition parties to co-operate when the allies in the Govn doesn't come on board with the government. There are many policies which are opposed by the TMC. If government is not able to make any policy decision for the country to fight out the slow down in economy then It must vacate the office.
I fully agree with Mr.Iyer.
We have political parties who have no concern for developing the economy.
BJP has no moral right to comment.Many decisions taken by them when they were in power like Sethusamudaram,FDI in insurance ,reatils are being opposed.
All regional parties want to offer everything free to public and expect centre to food the bill.
Even a need of hour like NTRC being opposed.
It is unfortunate we have no leaders who raise above political compulsions
According to overall situation, which has been recently spread hike in cost of everything, which is really affect on common people lives.
For, I can say UPA govt. is totally responsible.
This govt is a total failure in all fronts. Economics, poverty, job creation, education, forign affairs, aviation, sanitation, irrigation... nothing to show off. Only the corrupt politicians and the industrialists who know how to engage middle men and woman are rejoicing with this govt. But is the BJP competant to take over the reign is doubtful. As a principla opposition party they are not projecting themselves as a unified force. The country is losing precious years of development. Having a figure head like MMS is not a guarantee for good governance. The core is stinking with rotten matter and is infested with termites. We need an escape route from this misgovernance. As all the constituant parties of UPA are benefitting they are united and this govt will serve us to our dissatisfaction for many more years. If the parties are genuinely concerned about Indians they should withdraw support to this corrupt govt. It is time to send the UPA home.
Manmohna Singh doesnt believe like the BJP leaders who hop on to the electronic media on any matter with no concrete suggestions. Their best bet on economic affairs is perhaps Mr Yeshwant Sinha and his statements are more to sound dramatic than to give constructive criticism. No one can deny that we are passing through a difficult economic situation largely due to high crude oil prices and external factors. For most of the internal problems steps have been taken. But the PM need not give his solution to the media but can give his suggestions at the Cabinet Committee on Economic affairs. And there is no instant fix no economic matters. If the intelligent opposition members work in bipartisan manner, such matters can be better discussed and strong action taken. But what one do with a main opposition party even opposing policies which they had mooted and supported but for short term gains taken a contrary stand. Regional parties too add to this confusion.
Yes, BJP National spokesman is right and as Narendra Modi observed he is an acting PM. Acting under instructions of Sonia Gandhi, enacted these multi billion dollar scams and not bring the black money into India. They have betrayed the millions of voters who voted for them.
Is BJP in a position to win an absolute majority on its own, in Lok Sabha elections, if there is a mid term poll? The country has witnessed the sad spectacle of what harm the coalition compulsions can do to the country's economy and the general well being of the people both during the NDA and UPa dispensations. There is no solution to any of the problems faced by the country when the government is run by a combination of regional parties having their own individual parties' agenda for their own survival, at the cost of national development. Unless the two principal natioanal parties strengthen themselves with 'credibility'- that is very low these days - so as to gain an absolute majority with no dependence on 'allies' nothing else will alter the fate of India.
The economic policy of the congress and the BJP are no differnt and both are for unbriddled growth of capital by a few. In the late nineties and in the first decade of this century there is an enormous growth of wealth in the country but this wealth is not spread to all sections of the society but cornered by a few as is evident both by the reports that 550 billion dollars are stacked by a few in swiss banks. Unless this money is unearthed the economic gloom that is lingering is bound to be a cerainty. Added to this the corporate tax evasion and the corruption at all levels would be a catalyst to hasten this gloom.
Ram Athiballi, Sydney
To control prices on various products, the government has to have good control mechanism to tract the costs of various manufactured products from steel to cement, drinks , processed foods etc. If the finished products prices are out of line and try to charge more than reasonable profits, then The government may ask for roll back like in various advanced industrial countries. Roll Back or JawBonning of product prices are regular facts democratically run countries so aa to rain in excessive high prices. But current government is not active in overseeing the price moderation which effect inflation. Inflation is a cruel and regressive tax on people.
Sir
I agree with substantially with the view that this Prime Minister is the most
ineffective and incompetent Prime Minister of the country. He has brought his
country to lowest levels with zero accountability .. letting his corrupt ministers
have a field day... letting the Congress president and her coterie in the government
to do whatever they want.
Today while Brazil and China are advancing with the former with a clean
government and the latter publicly giving the harshest sentences to officials who
are exposed, in India, the crooks in the Government are first allowed to destroy the
evidence, stack away their ill gotten money abroad and then make a mockery of
justice, with collusion of FBI under its thumb.
On the top, they harass the persons demanding a honest government by framing
fake charges against Anna Hazare's team members.
Unfortunately, the country is going to dogs unless we have a revolution resulting
in punishment of the corrupt at high places.
MM Singh is creating problems,by DELIBERATELY FOLLOWING THE FAILED
POLICIES INN THE WEST, and trying to bevome the Hero.He likes ONLY the
MNCs, the World Bank and the IMF and their DIKTAT..He is BANKRUPTING
India.The most dangerous thing is that the indira Congress party does
not care for any Institution of the nation,be it the Parliament ,the Judiciary,the
Army,the Civil Society or the POOR,as it has the SUPPORT of the
USA.
The Prime Minister (PM) is the CEO of our country. It is time he starts taking action instead of expressing concerns and ruing the problems of coalition. All that he has to do is to ignore the repeated threats by DMK and TMC and take bold steps. Sure, there is a five percent chance of his Government falling, but the probability of his taking the country forward toward prosperity is very high. And all Indians will be grateful to him for that.
This is what we can expect from the congress government. Please dont
blame the prime minister he dosen't known what's happening in this
country.he is just a puppet.
MMS had refined the technique of "issuing economic bulletins on a
daily basis like medical bulletins issued by hospitals". There are
few parallels to his ineffective vacillating leadership. Naturally
vacillating people seldom succeed, win no solid respect of their
fellows. Successful ones are very careful in reaching decisions and
very persistent and determined in action thereafter. The following
quote can very aptly describe him “Indecisiveness and
procrastination are the chosen ways of life for most people. They
follow the course of least resistance, which is to do nothing. This
provides a security blanket of never being wrong, never making
mistakes, never being disappointed and never failing. But they will
also never succeed.”
Now MMS Economic ideas are not going to work . Its going to show the back lashes soon. Now the situation is very different from 1991.
It worse than 1990, Be prepared to face the worst for the next 5 years
Can the BJP leadership count their blessings & achievements other than
fooling the people on Ram mandir, can they count their good works
during their full term in office,there are many points BJP is blaming
the govt for, but those were existing even before the BJP came to
power, then why they did solve:-unqualified remarks made that party
which mislead the country for India shining & were shown the door
twice are still sulking with woulds of their defeat & unable
compromise with their own reality,but prefer to work with negative AB
Bajpai is loosing all its moral moorings (a sad story)
It is true that the PM is directly responsible for the economic ills of this country. His refusal to distribute rotting grains to poor people despite Supreme Court directive is one example. When the whole country is reeling under power outage, the Govt. is giving 5000 MW to Pakistan is another example that his Government does not care for the people of this country. His audacity that Posco will be able to start production in India despite killing of Adivasis is lack of concern for local population. In the last 7/8 years the Corporates have been given concessions in tax to the tune 25.7 lac crores whereas agriculture has not been given even one tenth of this goes to prove that he is following anti-farmer policies.
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