Under attack over rising prices, Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu said on Monday that a one-month-old government which is yet to take policy decisions cannot be held responsible for price rise.
With the Budget Session starting on stormy note due to disruptions by Opposition on the issue of price rise and rail fare hike, the Parliamentary Affairs Minister said the government was ready to discuss all issues including price rise but under appropriate rules.
“You cannot make a one-month government responsible for all this price hike and all. We have not taken any new policy decision. ...You have the problem of monsoon, you have the problem of the wrong economic policies of the earlier government,” Mr. Naidu told reporters outside the Parliament here.
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Claiming that the government was playing a proactive role to bring down the prices, Mr. Naidu said the Minister of Consumer Affairs had called a meeting which was attended by the Finance Minister as well.
He said the Home Ministry has taken an initiative by ordering a massive crackdown against hoarding of essential commodities including onion and potatoes in Delhi and has also given instructions to other states about what should be done.
On Opposition’s demand for a discussion on the issues of price rise of rail fare hike under an adjournment motion, Naidu said the government is ready to discuss everything, including price rise, depending on the rule and also admissibility of the same by the presiding officer.
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“In the Rajya Sabha we said we are ready for discussion, discussion started.... In Lok Sabha also, I stood up and said government is ready for discussion, what rules and all, that is the jurisdiction of the presiding officer of the House.”
“Now as the question hour time is over, we should take it up immediately. Congress should be ready for debate, I don’t know why they are hesitating,” he said.
On a question related to statements by Congress leaders that the party may take the legal route if it is not given the position of Leader of Opposition, Mr. Naidu said “the Constitution is there and every route is open to everybody.”