BJP plans chargesheet against UPA

By Our Special Correspondent

New Delhi, May 21: The BJP, which is the principal Opposition party in and outside Parliament, is planning to bring out a chargesheet on the four-year rule of the Congress-led UPA government at the Centre.

On the eve of the anniversary of four years in office of the UPA government, BJP spokesman Prakash Javadekar stepped up the offensive and said that the government failed on all fronts, including terrorism, price rise, agrarian unrest and on infrastructural development.

On terror strikes, he said that the government appeared to be clueless as there was no breakthrough in the investigations into the 22 terror attacks since the UPA government came to power on May 22, 2004. While terrorist attacks were a phenomenon seen only in the Northeast and Jammu and Kashmir, it has moved into the hinterland. Terror strikes are now taking place in Mumbai, which is the financial capital, Bangalore, which was the scientific hub, and Hyderabad, which is known for the IT boom. Besides, terrorists were targeting pilgrim centres like Ayodhya and Varanasi.

With galloping inflation, the government did not appear to be serious on checking price rise. Mr Javadekar cited the statement of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh that there should be no knee-jerk reaction on soaring inflation. Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia also acknowledged that the inflation rate was set to touch eight per cent. This shows that the government is in a position check price rise, he said. Mr Javadekar said that unless prices stabilised, there can be no development. Prices needed to be stabilised and not allowed to spiral out of control.

The agrarian crisis is forcing farmers to commit suicide, he said. Besides, it is resulting in the erosion of food security and the country, which once boasted of self-sufficiency in foodgrains, is losing out on that advantage.

The much-touted loan waiver for farmers to the tune of Rs 60,000 crores has failed to bring relief to small and marginal farmers, who are the worst-affected.