Govt under severe attack on price rise by CPI, BJP

New Delhi, May 15 (UNI) For a change, the CPI and the main opposition BJP today expressed an identical concern in the Lok Sabha over the soaring price rise and inflation, seeking government's explanation over its ''utter failure'' and asserted that the Congress had changed its slogan from 'Aam aadmi ke saath' to 'khaas aadmi ke saath'.

Participating in a discussion on price rise under rule 193, both the CPI MP Prabodh Panda as well as Ananth Kumar of BJP came out with facts and figures to bring home the point that the prices of essential commodites - rice, wheat, pulses and vegetables had gone beyond the purchasing power of the poor, the peasantry and the lower middle classes.

While initiating the discussion, Mr Panda said despite the Finance Minister P Chidambaram's claim on high growth rate and the economic boom, 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 elections are a clear signal.'' Mr Panda said if the government failed to arrest price rise and inflation, and that if it came across ''some danger (to its stability), the single main reason for the same would be its inability to contain price rise.'' The CPI leader wanted the minister to tell the nation the steps taken by the government so far pertaining to de-hoarding, profiteering and marketeering, which he alleged were creating ''artificial crisis in the market''.

While registering his party's protest against price rise, Mr Kumar asked the Finance Minister to explain to the nation and Parliament why the counry's economy had got into doldrums during the UPA regime of three years. Mr Chidambaram took strong objection to this observation and dared him to come out with any expert the world over who had said to this effect.

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

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

He also demanded the Finance Minister to present on the floor of the House the status report prepared by the ministerial Price Control Committee.

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