The Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) today stepped up its attack on the Congress, saying the ruling United Progressive Alliance (UPA) coalition was falling apart because of its own policies.
Addressing the members of the party’s national executive in Surajkund, Haryana, today, BJP President Nitin Gadkari alleged the UPA government had ”institutionalised corruption” in the country and said Lok Sabha elections could happen any time, as political uncertainty was prevailing at the Centre.
“The Congress party is falling because of its decisions and it is not the duty of BJP to protect the government. UPA is a sinking ship. Every day, UPA alliance partners are attacking it on the decisions taken by the government,” Gadkari said. The BJP president further said opposition parties were not sure if the Union government would be able to complete its full term.
Trinamool Congress, which was the second largest constituent in the UPA, withdrew its support for the government last week in protest against the decision to increase diesel prices and allow foreign direct investment in mutli-brand retail. The Congress’ relationship with another alliance partner, Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), ran into troubled waters yesterday when NCP’s Maharashtra top leader Ajith Pawar resigned as deputy chief minister from the Congress-led state government.
Blaming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi for corruption allegations and controversial decisions, BJP leaders said if scams related to allocation of coal blocks, 2G spectrum allocation and Commonwealth Games are put together, the UPA government had caused a massive loss of Rs 4.86 lakh crore to the exchequer.
“The UPA government has institutionalised corruption in the country and it is the most corrupt government since independence. The government has attacked democratic and constitutional institutions like the Public Accounts Committee and the Joint Parliamentary Committee to derail the probe,” Gadkari said.
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BJP leaders also questioned if the Congress had also received money in the coal block allocation scam and said Prime Minister Singh and Gandhi should not blame opposition parties if the government was unable to bring major reforms or development.
“Yashwant Sinha is heading the standing committee on finance and the committee has given 11 reports on crucial Bills. How many of these Bills has the Union government been able to bring in Parliament? BJP is not against development and states ruled by BJP are examples where the average yearly growth percentage is more than 11 per cent,” Gadkari explained.