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Promises to the common man not kept: Advani

Special Correspondent

"Instead of strengthening food security, budget gives concession for dog food"

NEW DELHI: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government came in for criticism from the Opposition and the Left parties on Thursday for its failure to keep its word on the aam admi. The price rise, the agrarian crisis and the "deteriorating" internal security situation dominated the motion of thanks on the President's address.

Leader of the Opposition L.K. Advani said the fact that the Government failed to fulfil its promises had been proved by the results of the Punjab and Uttarakhand elections, and earlier in Bihar and Kerala. "I may have a difference of opinion with a major UPA ally, but I agree with the party when it said the Government should learn lessons from the recent losses."

"Poor humiliated"

Referring to the aam aadmi, Mr. Advani said it comprised the lower middle class or labourers in the urban areas and farmers in the rural set up, both of whom were affected by the price rise. The President's speech made no mention of the challenges rising from the agricultural crisis and rising inflation. "When the Government should have announced measures to strengthen food security, the budget gives concession in food meant for dogs and cats. Nothing can be more humiliating for the poor."

As far as internal security was concerned, the speech made a fleeting reference to the United Liberation Front of Asom's activities, naxalism in Andhra Pradesh and terrorism in the Northeast.

He sought to know from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh whether the Government had cancelled the accreditation of a television channel in Assam, and was harassing another journalist in Andhra Pradesh for exposing corruption.

Mr. Advani wanted to know why the information on the Bofors payoffs accused Ottavio Quattrocchi was withheld till February 23.

Similar sentiments were expressed by Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Basudeb Acharia. He said it was paradoxical that even as the Government claimed that the economy was growing at 9.2 per cent, unemployment was also rising.

Forward trading, introduced in 2003, had led to speculation in the agriculture market. He criticised Finance Minister P. Chidambaram for setting up a committee to look into the issue of forward trading instead of abolishing it completely.

According to Mr. Acharia, incidents of communal riots had also not found a place in the President's address. The Muslims in Gujarat and the Christians in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh were living under a deep sense of insecurity.

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