PC destroyed Budget's purity: Yashwant

Indore, Mar 6 (UNI) Accusing Union Finance Minister P Chidambaram of destroying the ''purity'' of the General Budget, Bharatiya Janata Party leader and former union finance minister Yashwant Sinha today alleged that the United Progressive Alliance converted the 2008-09 budget into a poll manifesto.

''The budget's statistics are fake and it has been used for gaining cheap popularity. The Centre is responsible for inflation spiralling after the budget. A cooking gas crisis is prevalent while cylinders and new connections were provided on demand during the predecessor National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government's tenure,'' he said here at a budget review programme organised by the BJP's Economic Cell.

Pointing out that foodgrain was stored in adequate quantities during NDA rule, Mr Sinha added that wheat was now being imported.

''Industrial output is constantly declining. The share and commodity markets are in speculators' clutches. The government and regulatory bodies are proving ineffectual. Some people, including political leaders, are profiting from the situation,'' he said.

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