Sonia blames states for inflation

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has, in an article in the party mouthpiece 'Congress Sandesh', strongly defended the UPA government and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's efforts to curb inflation, even as the Opposition BJP and Left said that the government had failed on this front.

In a signed article, Gandhi laid the blame for price rise squarely on international trends and the state governments not being able to ensure adequate supply under the public distribution system (PDS).

"In recent weeks, because of international developments, we have had an increase in the rate of inflation in our country. That continues to cause us great concern. I am aware that our prime minister is very sensitive to this issue and that he knows very well our party's thinking that while growth is essential, we must ensure that the prices of essential commodities remain affordable to all sections of the society."

"Strengthening the public distribution system is something that the state governments are responsible for and is something that they must make a priority. Similarly, it is the state governments that have the powers to control black-marketing and hoarding just as the central government has the powers to control speculation. These powers have to be exercised so that the price rise does not affect the 'aam aadmi'," she added.

The BJP, on its part, said that it was cowardly of the Union government to lay the blame on the state governments.

"The effort to pass the buck on the state governments is deplorable, because there are a series of policy measures to manage inflation that can only be taken by the central government. These include fiscal measures, import and export policy, giving teeth to the Essential Commodities Act, regulation of commodity exchanges and cracking down on cartelisation, especially cement and steel," said Prakash Javadekar.

He, however, assured that all chief ministers of BJP ruled states would be attending the proposed meet on inflation. "They will clearly put their views across as they always have," he added.

The Left parties and the UNPA have already demanded that the UPA government immediately implement measures to curb price rise, which should include strengthening of the PDS by universalising it, restoration of cut in food grain allocations to the states under the PDS, inclusion of 15 essential commodities like pulses, edible oil and sugar in the PDS, banning of futures trading in 25 agricultural commodities as proposed by the Parliamentary Standing Committee, cut in Customs and excise duties on oil and reduction in retail prices of petrol and diesel.