BJP attacks UPA on rising prices

New Delhi: The UPA Govt on Sunday faced the ire of the Opposition BJP on rising prices and for the crisis in agricultural sector.

BJP has accused the Congress-led UPA for betraying the common man and farmers, and said the coalition's economic policies are aimed to benefit the rich people.

BJP – armed with a comparative chart of prices of essential commodities, including rice and wheat, when the UPA Govt took office in May 2004 and now – took a resolution titled 'Betrayal of the Common Man'.

Contrary to its election promise of being with the common man, Congress was letting down the commoner while propping up the elite, said BJP in the party's National Council in Lucknow.

The average wholesale price-based inflation stood at 3.4 per cent during NDA's six-year rule compared to over 5 per cent during UPA government's 30-months in office, it said.

As quoted by PTI, BJP demanded that, "the government take immediate steps to alleviate sufferings of the common man, kisan (peasants), workers in the organised and unorganised sectors, middle class and senior citizens".

The National Council also accepted suggestions to seek a probe into the Centre's approval to as many as 467 Special Economic Zones over the past six months as mentioned by BJP leader Kirit Somaya.

UPA's Left allies too opposed the SEZ plan on the ground that productive farm lands were being acquired for developing the tax free industrial zones.

The BJP, which opposes acquisition of farmland for Special Economic Zones, said the government should immediately accept recommendations of its committee on SEZs.

Besides, it demanded that the allocation for the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme be increased to Rs 20,000 crore a year.

The scheme's coverage should also be widened to all districts, including urban, the BJP resolution said.

It also sought immediate increase in the interest rate on the employees' provident fund and other deposit schemes.

Accusing the Govt of depriving the common man of his livelihood, the BJP said there has been a steady fall in farm sector's contribution (currently less than a quarter) to India's gross domestic product.

"The capacity of agriculture to generate remunerative income and employment is going down. This is an alarming trend. It is a recipe for economic disaster," the resolution read.

It described the high incidence of farmers' suicides in Maharashtra, Punjab, Kerala and Andhra Pradesh, as the most shocking manifestation of the agrarian crisis.

The BJP vowed a nationwide agitation over economic issues and demanded the Govt write off interest on loans granted to farmers suffering crop failure.

It sought immediate convening of a chief ministers' conference to discuss recommendations of the national commission for farmers.