NEW DELHI: Congress president Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday blamed the previous Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance for the increase in the prices of essential commodities.

Ms. Gandhi told the Congress Parliamentary Party that the `decisive action' of importing pulses had stabilised prices and the move to import wheat was on account of both shortfall in production and procurement.

`Insensitive decision'

"We are still dealing with the consequences of the most insensitive decision of the NDA Government to export over 14 million tonnes of wheat during its tenure," the Congress president said. She also said the previous Government withdrew powers from the States to take action against hoarders.

Referring to the meeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and she had with the Chief Ministers of party-ruled States, Ms. Gandhi said they were unanimous that "forward trading," particularly in wheat, had an adverse impact and called for a more effective regulatory framework to deal with speculation.

"I understand the regulations are being considered by the Standing Committee. The States should be empowered to take tough and pre-emptive action against hoarders. What is generally not known is that the NDA Government withdrew these powers in February 2002. Discussions in both Houses of Parliament have clearly shown that there is a wide consensus in both these areas."

On the fuel front, she said, while world petroleum prices have started going up, the Government had ensured that kerosene and cooking gas was not touched.

She complimented the Congress State Governments for reducing taxes on petrol and diesel to soften the impact on consumers.

`Nurture secular ethos'

Turning to the Mumbai serial blasts, she said, while the party was one in recognising that there could be no compromise on internal security, steps must be taken to ensure that no community felt it was under siege or an automatic target of suspicion.

"Secularism has bound our country for centuries. It has been our strength, our defining characteristic. We must never ever forget that if communal harmony is disturbed our very future is in peril. Those who wish to weaken and damage our country will always seek to divide and polarise our society. Under no circumstances should we allow this to happen. We must nurture and enrich our secular ethos, just as we deal with terrorism in all its aspects," she said.

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