BJP opposes plan panel changes

The BJP said on Friday, the government's decision to dissolve the consultative groups of the Planning Commission following protests by Left parties over the presence of "foreign" experts, would send "wrong signals" within the country and abroad.

"This sends a wrong signal both within the country and abroad," BJP president Venkaiah Naidu told reporters at the birthday celebrations of senior party leader B S Yediyurappa.

He said dissolving the groups after the commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia's justification of the foreign experts, shows the "Centre is amenable to pressure from the left parties."

Naidu said the commission, of which the Prime Minister is the chairman, "has been very independent in its work, but the move affects the image of the government and the country, besides, the PM's authority has been questioned."

Naidu also criticised the UPA government's decision to set up a Group of Ministers (GOM) "to enquire into the decisions of the NDA regime" and accused the centre of trying to "create and fabricate falsehood."

"Government has formed a GOM to enquire into the decisions of the previous government, they do not have anything substantial."