Congress backs PM and reforms, slams BJP

Members of the Congress Working Committee members met at the residence of the Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday morning to back the recent economic reforms announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh last week.

They also discussed issues like Assam and panchayat killings in Jammu & Kashmir.

The meeting began with finance minister P Chidambaram first stating the circumstances under which the recent bunch of economic reforms that triggered a political landslide had to be effected.

Stating that it was important that India is not affected by the recession being witnessed across the world, Chidambaram said the rise in inflation as well as the devaluation of the rupee were the two chief reasons that forced the government to take the FDI step.
 
"Reluctance in taking the plunge would have meant losing out on the many rural development projects and social schemes for the welfare of general public," he said.

Reiterating the finance minister's threadbare analysis of the situation, PM Manmohan Singh said the government's resolve will not falter when it comes to helping the poor and the weaker sections of the society. Flagship programmes cannot be implemented effectively until the economy is in a sound position, said Singh. Congress president Sonia Gandhi, on her part, said the tough decisions were the need of the hour.

Attacking the BJP for playing "negative politics", Sonia said only if could play the role of a responsible opposition. About its opposition to the FDI measures, the Congress termed it as means to target the PM. Later, while stressing the urgent need to improve the economic situation, she said "new allies" will move in.

Even as there was no debate on the burning issue of Telangana, Rahul Gandhi reportedly raised the issue of killing of panchayat members in Jammu & Kashmir. He said one should take note of the fact that non-implementation of panchayat raj in the state is behind the killings.