PM should bring down prices or quit, says NDA

As they organised a coordinated strike against rising prices of essential commodities, the National Democratic Alliance and Left parties slammed the government for the situation and particularly targeted Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, asking him to quit if he was unable to deal with it.

The Bharatiya Janata Party and its allies Janata Dal-United, Shiromani Akali Dal and Shiv Sena took to the streets to protest the continuing rise in prices of foodgrains and fuel across the country and its top leaders courted arrest at various places. The Left parties and the Samajwadi Party held coordinated protests in their strongholds and their leaders too courted arrest.

Leaders of NDA and the Left said the protest was beyond party affiliations and will continue in Parliament in the Monsoon Session beginning July 26. "The United Progressive Alliance-II has left the people at the mercy of market forces and the monsoon. While market forces are deciding the prices of essential commodities, the prime minister is hoping that monsoon would be good and it will bring down foodgrain prices," JD-U chief and NDA convener Sharad Yadav said. "The prime minister should either bring down prices or leave his chair," he told reporters. Contending that it was for the first time in India's history that all political parties outside government came together against the ruling dispensation, Yadav said hailed opposition unity as "people's wish".

BJP president Nitin Gadkari said the issue of price rise was not limited to any one political party as 50 per cent of the country's population was living below poverty line and earning less than Rs 20 per day. "With inflation at 15 per cent, the government has betrayed the people," he said. He wondered why Prime Minister Singh and UPA chief Sonia Gandhi were silent on the issue of price rise. "I appeal to Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh to break their silence...there is a committee (National Advisory Council) under Sonia Gandhi, why does it not speak on the issue," he said. He also took a swipe at Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi, wondering whether he could not "see poverty" when he "visits the houses of the poor and eats with them" and asked "Why does the Rajkumar (Rahul Gandhi) not speak about this?" Joining the attack on the government, Communist Party of India leader D Raja said, "The government should take note of this massive agitation all over the country" and consider a rollback in increase of prices of diesel, kerosene, petrol and LPG. "Unless the government considers these demands this struggle will continue," he said.

Justifying coordination of Left's strike with that of BJP-led NDA, CPI(M) Politburo member Brinda Karat said price rise was not "political party issue" but concerns all sections of the society. "The signal for the government is widespread opposition to this hike among the people. This is not a policy of this or that political party. This is because of the impact on aam aadmi (common man)," she said.

"If a government of the day which is voted into power on certain assurances, including price control, totally fails and then refuses to reverse the wrong policies which have led to price rise, then people have no alternative but to go in for such actions. This is entirely because of the attitude of the government which is totally undemocratic," she said.

Describing the strike as "unprecedented", CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat said it "shows the people's anger against price rise." He said the momentum of this strike will have to be carried forward because this is an issue which affects all sections of the people.

He talked about two-pronged approach -- fighting the government in Parliament and intensify the "movement" outside. Seeking to unite the whole opposition on the issue, Gadkari said he did not believe in "political untouchability" and was willing to visit the office of any political party to discuss price rise.

"When they (Congress) came to power, they promised to bring down prices in 100 days but instead of coming down, it has increased by three to four times," he said. Addressing a rally at Chandni Chowk area, Gadkari said, "price rise has nothing to do with your religion, caste, creed or language. Wrong economic policies and bad governance of the government are the basic reasons of price rise." He claimed that the basic cost of petrol was only Rs 16.50 per litre but it was being sold for Rs 53 per litre after taxation.

Accusing the Prime Minister of being responsible for price rise, the BJP chief said the money of the poor was going into the hands of the multinationals. "Unfortunately the Prime Minister and the government are concerned about oil companies, not the common man," he said. Senior BJP leader L K Advani, Gadkari, Yadav and SAD MP Harsimrat Kaur thanked people for the "massive support". Gadkari said he was not happy about calling strikes but it had become necessary to draw the attention of the government towards the plight of the people.

Yadav said he was aware that stopping buses and trains would not bring down prices but added that protests would have to be organised as "sitting at home" would not help.