Govt under attack on price rise by CPI, BJP

New Delhi, May 15: For a change, the CPI and the main oppositionBJP today expressed an identical concern in the Lok Sabha over thesoaring price rise and inflation, seeking government's explanation overits ''utter failure'' and asserted that the Congress had changed itsslogan from 'Aam aadmi ke saath' to 'khaas aadmi ke saath'.

Participating in a discussion on price rise under rule 193, boththe CPI MP Prabodh Panda as well as Ananth Kumar of BJP came out withfacts and figures to bring home the point that the prices of essentialcommodites - rice, wheat, pulses and vegetables had gone beyond thepurchasing power of the poor, the peasantry and the lower middleclasses.

While initiating the discussion, Mr Panda said despite the FinanceMinister P Chidambaram's claim on high growth rate and the economicboom, the ground situation was going from bad to worse day by day.''People don't buy his argument...the recent results in Punjab,Uttarakhand, Delhi Municipal Corporation and Uttar Pradesh electionsare a clear signal.'' Mr Panda said if the government failed to arrestprice rise and inflation, and that if it came across ''some danger (toits stability), the single main reason for the same would be itsinability to contain price rise.'' The CPI leader wanted the ministerto tell the nation the steps taken by the government so far pertainingto de-hoarding, profiteering and marketeering, which he alleged werecreating ''artificial crisis in the market''.

While registering his party's protest against price rise, Mr Kumarasked the Finance Minister to explain to the nation and Parliament whythe counry's economy had got into doldrums during the UPA regime ofthree years. Mr Chidambaram took strong objection to this observationand dared him to come out with any expert the world over who had saidto this effect.

Calling Mr Chidambaram ''My friend'', the BJP leader advised theUPA leadership to see the writing on the wall and introspect over whatwent wrong on the price rise front.

Both the members took the government to task for its decision onwheat import saying why the government was keen to buy wheat fromforeign investors at much higher rate than paying remunerative pricesto the Indian farmers.

He also demanded the Finance Minister to present on the floor ofthe House the status report prepared by the ministerial Price ControlCommittee.

Participating in the discussion on price rise under rule 193, SamikLahiri (CPI-M) criticised the UPA government for its total failure tocome up to the expectations of the people in tackling this major issue.He said price rise was primarily on account of the Government's marketeconomy move along with its strong move for further liberalisation ofthe economy.

He said since the UPA government could not reduce the food subsidymuch, they had found out another device of how to reduce theprocurement at the same time increasing the distribution price ofpublic distribution items.

He said there was a strong need for a structural change in thepetroleum products pricing and taxation so that their prices could bebrought down. He said the petroleum products were costliest in Indiacompared to its neighbours.

Ravi Prakash Verma (SP) regretted that the economic growth, on onwhich the Government harped, was in fact the growth of just 36 familieswho were in the class of billionaires, ''while we have another class of36 crore families who were much below the poverty line and theGovernment was not at all concerned about them''.

He said according to some studies, nearly Rs 27,000 crore wasspent by poor people in India per year as bribe towards the procurementof their ration cards, admission of their children in schools and otherthings.

He said there was a strong need for the review of PublicDistribution System so that it could become effective in controllingthe price rise in the country.

Participating in the discussion, Anant Geete (SS) criticised theGovernment for its handling of the price rise which was adverselyaffecting the economy of the poor people in the country.

He said it was significant that though the Prime Minister himselfwas aware of the fact that price rise was a major factor in Congressparty's defeat in Punjab and Uttarakhand assembly elections heldearlier this year, the Government had not initiated any steps towardscontrolling this.

Earlier, S K Kharventhan (Cong) said the UPA government hadinitiated a number of steps and as a result of their combined effect,the prices of large number of essential commodities had already startedcoming down.

The discussion remained inconclusive as the members agreed to takeup the zero hour business in the House. The discussion on price risewould be taken up tomorrow and Mr Geete would be resuming thediscussion.

UNI