Govt not willing to discuss burning issue of price rise: BJP

Attacking the government over the issue of price rise, the Bharatiya Janata Party said on Wednesday if the United Progressive Alliance dispensation was sincere in addressing the "burning issue" they should agree on a discussion in Parliament under a provision that entails voting.

Senior BJP leader M Venkiah Naidu also accused "great economists" in the government including Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P Chidambaram of "miserably" failing to address the issue.

"On the burning issue of price rise, the government is not willing to have discussions. Since this government came in power, there has been an increase of petroleum price 24 times and bank rates 13 times, fertiliser rates 6 times. When every time there is a demand for discussion, the Minister comes out with a statement. It will not satisfy the hunger of people," Naidu told the media outside Parliament House.

"That's why we in the opposition wanted to have a discussion in Rajya Sabha under a provision for voting. But the government is adamant. If they are sincere, if they are bold enough, why should they bother," the Rajya Sabha MP asked.

Demanding a discussion under Rule 168 in Rajya Sabha, he said the government was running away from responsibility while people across the country are "reeling under inflation." "People are weeping, but the government is sleeping. Particularly, on the issue of price rise. Price rise is a slow poison to the people," he said.

Naidu said 80 per cent of reasons of the price rise are domestic in nature. "Wrong economic policies, wrong priorities, massive corruption in import and export, they are the major reasons for the price rise," he said.