FM blames UPA for economic mess

Congress accuses the govt of 'repackaging' and 'copying' UPA's agenda in the past 10 years

Both Houses of Parliament on Tuesday took up the ‘motion of thanks’ to the President’s speech outlining the new Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) -led government’s road map. Even as a depleted Congress party in the Lok Sabha accused the government of “repackaging” and “copying” the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s agenda in the past 10 years, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in the Upper House blamed UPA for leaving the country in an economic mess.

The proceedings were disrupted occasionally in both Houses over issues ranging from the Bahujan Samaj Party’s (BSP’s) demand for dismissal of the Uttar Pradesh government to the Cauvery water dispute.

Leading the discussion in the Lok Sabha, BJP’s Rajiv Pratap Rudy was scathing in his attack of UPA’s depleted bench strength but assured the BJP government would, nonetheless, be accommodating in its approach to the Opposition.

The Congress’ leader in the Lower House, Mallikarjun Kharge, responded by drawing from the Mahabharata. The Kauravas, even with a strength of 100, were not able to defeat the five Pandavas, he said. “Nothing new has been said... we need to put the record straight. Modi only repackages what is already done. All these things have been repackaged in the name of Modi,” Kharge claimed.

Leading the discussion in the Rajya Sabha, BJP’s Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said: “We talk about ‘sabka saath, sabka vikaas’ (development of all with support from all) and promise our government will tread this inclusive path in the next 60 months.”

Ghulam Nabi Azad, the Congress’ leader in the Upper House, echoed his Lok Sabha counterpart Kharge’s accusations. Besides listing the Modi government’s “copying exercise” in the schemes and plans mentioned in the President’s address, Azad cautioned the government that it should not become arrogant after getting a huge mandate.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi introduced his Council of Ministers to the Rajya Sabha in the post-lunch session.

Earlier in the day, proceedings were disrupted in the Rajya Sabha as BSP chief Mayawati raised the Badaun rape-and-murder case and called for imposition of the President’s rule in “lawless” Uttar Pradesh. Her party member, S C Mishra, questioned the “magic wand” BJP had proffered in the name of its “Gujarat model”. With the prime minister seated in the House, Mishra said he wanted to know how Modi, now himself a member of Parliament from an Uttar Pradesh constituency, intended to protect the interests of UP’s migrants in states like Maharashtra. This led to protests from the Shiv Sena members.

Intervening in the debate as the Leader of the Rajya Sabha, Jaitley slammed the UPA government for leaving the economy in shambles. He accused UPA of inheriting a robust 8.5 per cent economic growth rate in 2004 and, over the 10 years of its rule, bringing it down to less than five per cent. Besides charging UPA with “elevating” poverty and not “alleviating” it, Jaitley said fiscal deficit was high and tax collection had suffered.

BJP’s popular mandate had reassured investors and “once again domestic and foreign investors have started looking at India”, Jaitley said, adding: “I think all these things that you have done will now have to be undone.”

In the Rajya Sabha, V Maitreyan of the All-India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam recalled how the UPA government had turned a deaf ear to all his party’s demands, while the new Modi-led government had quickly responded to the concerns.

The Trinamool Congress’ Derek O’Brien said his party would play the role of a “constructive Opposition” and oppose only when necessary.