Emphasising on the role played by "cash" in the Rajya Sabha elections, Janata Dal (United) MP Sharad Yadav on Saturday said many moneybags are contesting in this poll as both the BJP and the Congress Party have fielded cash-rich candidates.
"In this poll, many moneybags are standing. Both the BJP and the Congress Party have fielded moneyed candidates. Though there is nothing new in this, as this has been practised since long, but now it has reached to its pinnacle."
Maintaining that the solution to this problem lies with people only, Yadav said, "The people will treat this problem by way of their mandate. The Election Commission or law does not have a solution to this chronic problem."
It's the last day before elections for 57 Rajya Sabha seats in 15 states and with a contest in at least six states, political parties are in a last minute scramble to ensure they get their numbers right.
As many as 57 Rajya Sabha seats in 15 states go to polls on Friday.
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Lambasting Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) of India head Pahlaj Nihalani for scuttling creativity, the JD (U) Rajya Sabha MP said, "He looks like a 'paagal' (mad) and should be removed immediately."
"The Censor Board has done a poor job. The creativity should not be scuttled like this," he added.
The Bombay High Court on Friday adjourned the hearing of Shahid Kapoor-starrer 'Udta Punjab', a film highlighting the rampant drug menace and its impact on the youth in Punjab, and said it would pronounce its order on June 13.
The High Court told CBFC that the multiplex audience is mature enough and they should be allowed to see the film as everybody has a choice.
In response to Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's upcoming protest against drug menace in Punjab's Jalandhar, he said, "Drug abuse is a big problem in Punjab. This is a big issue, as Punjab is an important state for us. And thus, it is important to get Punjab out of this problem. I think it's going to be the main plank in the assembly elections when leaders of various political parties assemble there."
Criticising the government for poor industrial growth, the JD(U) leader said, "They are talking about development at a time when the country is going back. Industrial growth has been reduced to 'minus' (0.8 percent in April this year). In such a scenario how will they generate employment?"
India's industrial production shrank 0.8 percent in April this year, dragged down by a poor performance of the manufacturing and capital goods sectors.
Factory output, as measured by the Index of Industrial Production (IIP) had expanded 3 percent in April last year. Data released by the Central Statistics Office showed that the manufacturing sector, which constitutes over 75 percent of the index, contracted 3.1 percent in April this year.
Capital goods output, a barometer of investment, shrank a hefty 24.9 percent during the month. Overall consumer goods output dipped 1.2 percent in April, while consumer non-durable production fell 9.7 percent.
But production of consumer durables jumped 11.8 percent, and electricity generation surged 14.6 percent during the month.
