BJP on Friday expressed disappointment with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s reply in Rajya Sabha, saying he did not talk about the problems of corruption and price rise which were affecting the common man.
“The Prime Minister’s reply was a disappointment. He neither talked about corruption, nor did he address the problem of price rise which was affecting the common man,” party spokesman Shahnawaz Hussain said.
The BJP leader said while the Prime Minister expressed concerns over other issues, there was no mention of corruption or price rise in his reply to the debate on Motion of Thanks to President’s address.
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“BJP wants to question the Prime Minister as to when he would speak on these issues. He dejected the nation by not talking about it in his reply to the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address in Rajya Sabha,” Mr. Hussain said.
“The nation gets looted, but he (Prime Minister) is still considered honest,” the BJP leader said.
He said Prime Minister did not broach on issues of national interest and most of the issues addressed by him today were those raised at the BJP conclave in Delhi last week.
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“The line of disappointment that the Prime Minister sketched in Lok Sabha has only been deepened today in his address in Rajya Sabha,” Mr. Hussain said.
The opposition party welcomed that Dr. Singh had lauded states like Bihar and Madhya Pradesh for making speedy progress and growth, but said he behaved like a typical Congress leader by not naming Gujarat and said the Prime Minister should have a “big heart”.
“We welcome his lauding Bihar and Madhya Pradesh. As a Congress leader he forgot Gujarat. Just as Prime Minister forgot Gujarat, the people of Gujarat have also forgotten Congress.... The Prime Minister should have a big heart,” Mr. Hussain said.
“Gujarat does not require the Prime Minister’s praise”, the BJP spokesperson said, adding that the people of Gujarat have already given their consent by re-electing the government there.
Seeking a strict law to ensure safety and security of women, BJP said it will support the government on the issue in Parliament but criticised it for citing paucity of time in bringing such legislation soon.
The party also demanded that the year be dedicated to safety of women.
The party also demanded urgent action against pollution in the rivers Ganga and Yamuna.
“Time has come that the nation should be concerned over rising pollution in Ganga and Yamuna rivers,” he said.
The BJP leader also expressed concern over Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit seeking parole for those accused of committing rape and said this was not expected of a woman Chief Minister.