Inflation crisis worst since Independence: Rajnath

Karaikudi, Apr 30: Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) president Rajnath Singh today said the inflation crisis in India is at its worst since Independence and urged the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam(DMK) to withdraw its support to the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance(UPA) Government, if the DMK was really interested in the welfare of the nation and its people.

Addressing a huge public meeting organised in connection with conclusion of 'Lotus Yatra' undertaken by BJP leader H Raja here tonight, Mr Singh accused the UPA government of failing to check the spiralling prices of essential commodities, which had led the nation into a crucial phase. The BJP leader rejected Finance Minister P Chidambaram's claim that inflation was a 'global phenomena' and said inflation in India was 2.8 per cent, while in United States, it was only three per cent. In fact, United States imports much more crude oil than India, he added.

He also refuted the theory that inflation and development could not go together and said during the tenure of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance(NDA) government, the country witnessed development and, at the same time, the prices were kept in control.

The Congress government has not come to power to serve the people or country, but to ruin the country, he alleged.

Mr Singh said when some small countries, which got Independence, along with India had become developed nations now, our country was still a developing country only because of the Congress party.

Referring to waiver of farm loans by the Centre, he said it would benefit the farmers only, if loan taken from the private money-lenders were transferred to banks and got waived, as 49 per cent of the farmers had taken loan from private money-lenders.

The Reserve Bank of India(RBI) had stated that farm loan due was Rs 23,000 crore only, but how come the government could claim that it would waive Rs 60,000 crore loan, he wondered. If the BJP regains power at the Centre, it would provide farm loan at four per cent interest and the farmers land-holding will also be protected, he added.

He accused the Congress government on its failure to execute the capital punishment awarded by the Supreme Court against the terrorists, who were involved in the Parliament attack case. If the BJP comes to power, it will carry out the apex court verdict on the issue, he added.

Mr Singh expressed confidence that BJP would capture power in the ensuing assembly elections to Karnataka with thumping majority.

UNI