Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley on Tuesday took pot shots at the Congress for claiming that it had addressed most of the issues facing the people, and said the economy was a shambles.
“If that is the situation, we are on velvet. But seriously are you aware of the state in which you have the country?,” he asked. Mr. Jaitley said that the UPA only >“elevated” not alleviated poverty .
He lamented that former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was reduced to the status of a silent spectator as structures were created outside government with obsolete ideas.
“The Prime Minister must have the last word … The PM has to be tough and if necessary ruthless,” he said. He reiterated the Prime Minister’s statement that the government would take the States along and address their issues.
“Election results itself have become an important political statement. Once again domestic and foreign investors have started looking at India. Therefore, for us, who are the repository of public confidence, the onus is on us whether we can convert this into opportunity or not.”
Copying Congress agenda: Azad Earlier, Leader of the Opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad accused the newly formed government of “copying” the Congress agenda of the last 10 years, and claimed that the UPA had already implemented 90 per cent of the schemes and policies listed out by the NDA.
He complimented the BJP for its victory, and said the success brought with it a lot of responsibility and the party needed “broad shoulders” to carry it.
Mr. Azad’s comment that many times States gave false information on Health Mission indicators triggered strong protests. “This is incorrect,” said M. Venkiah Naidu seeking the remark to be expunged.
In the Motion of Thanks, BJP’s Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the National Development Council and the National Integration Council would be revitalised to make them more “meaningful” where States could effectively voice their concerns.
