Shanta asks Congress to clarify its stand on foreign origin issue

Una, Apr 17 (UNI) BJP Vice President Shanta Kumar today said the Congress party needs to clarify its stand on the issue of a person of foreign origin occupying a constitutional post.

Talking to mediapersons here, he said, while he would not comment on the question raised by the Supreme Court in this regard but, the Congress party, which boasts of being the oldest political party in the country needed to clarify its stand.

Mr Kumar said, if need be, the UPA government should undertake a national debate on the issue. Even in countries like America and Britain, there are written laws that no individual of a foreign origin can hold a constitutional post in their respective countries.

''The party needs to answer these basic questions'', he said.

He remarked that while the country attained freedom from the clutches of the foreigners about 60 years ago, the 120 -year old party was still relying on the shoulders of an individual of foreign origin. This, he said, proves that the congress was ''a hollow and leaderless party''.

Mr Kumar charged that the UPA government was giving undue favours to a handful of Sugar mill owners in the country at the cost of the 100 crore population. He said, while the total annual consumption of sugar in the country was 190 lakh tonnes, the current level of production was at 250 lakh tonnes.

Besides, he said an additional 40 lakh tonnes from the last year was lying in the stocks.

The former Union Minister said the price of onion was soaring despite an increase in its production.

UNI