BJP charged the Manmohan Singh with 'miserably' failing to contain the runaway food inflation.
Opposition BJP today demanded a Parliamentary probe into "scams" in the import-export of food commodities like sugar and charged the Manmohan Singh with "miserably" failing to contain the runaway food inflation.
Resuming the discussion in the Rajya Sabha on the motion of thanks to president's address, senior BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu blamed the government for its handling of the foreign
policy and internal security situation.
He also said the government was messing up the sensitive Telangana issue and warned against reservation to religious
minorities.
Prime minister Manmohan Singh, who is also leader of the House, was present.
"The country is deeply disappointed with the president's address. It did not contain any answer to the challenges faced by the country. It has not inspired even the UPA allies. The government has run out of ideas," Naidu said.
The president's address to the joint sitting in the beginning of the budget session contains government's policies, programmes and achievements in various fields.
Observing that the spiraling prices was an "assault on common man", Naidu said one of the reasons for it was corruption and scam in import and export of rice and sugar.
"BJP and people of India demand setting up a Joint Parliamentary Committee to inquire into the scams," he said adding that "whenever Congress government comes, it brings inflation also with it".
Milk, wheat, rice and vegetable prices have pushed food inflation further up to 17.87% for week ended February 20 from 17.58% in a week ago.
Attacking the Congress for remaining "silent" on the price situation, Naidu said "when prices are violent, Congress is
silent". He said UPA ministers were blaming each other
when there should be a collective responsibility.
Referring to the unease among UPA allies on price rise, he said "some of the UPA friends are also concerned. Their sincerity will be put to test (in Parliament)".
Members belonging to BJP and Left parties have given notices in the Lok Sabha for cut motions on the budget proposals with a view to cornering the government which has ruled out rollback of fuel prices.
Naidu said finance minister Pranab Mukherjee had indicated that the government could hurl another "petrol bomb" (in the form of another hike) after the end of the session, taking cue from the recommendations of the Kirit Parekh committee (on deregulation of the fuel prices).
He said while the government claimed new strategy to tackle terrorism, it could not explain how the Pune incident had occurred. "Internal security is still fragile", he said adding that the "policy of the government was condolences for deaths and compensation for the survivors".
Naidu said senior Congress leaders and AICC general secretaries were marching on "political pilgrimage" to places
like Azamgarh and Batla House in Delhi which was insult to
police personnel who sacrificed their lives fighting terror.
Asking the government to adopt a no nonsense approach towards terrorism and naxalism, he said his party would extend support to government's efforts in this direction. However, he was against showing any leniency towards Maoists.
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