Centre failed to explain price hike to masses: Paswan

Union Minister Ramvilas Paswan feels the Centre has failed to explain to the masses the compulsions for taking the decision.

As the government faces the Left and opposition tirade for the fuel price hike, a senior UPA minister feels the Centre has failed to explain to the masses the compulsions for taking the decision.

Union Minister and LJP chief Ramvilas Paswan attributed the ‘resentment’ among the people to a ‘communication gap’ as the government has not explained to the public the situation arising out of surging global crude oil prices.

“The Government should have explained to the public about its endeavour for checking inflation and other pro-poor policies. But it

could not do so and this communication gap has turned into a public resentment, vulnerable enough to be exploited by the opposition parties,” he said.

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Maintaining that there was no alternative before the Government, Paswan said the Centre was already giving huge subsidy in various essential commodities like petroleum products, cement, steel and fertilisers. And further increasing of subsidy could only lead to empty treasury.” Paswan, who is touring various states in the run up to the general elections, flayed the main opposition BJP for taking an ‘irresponsible stand’ while attacking the government for oil price rise.

“BJP, which is leaving no stone unturned in attacking the government in the name of inflation, should explain to the public as how it would have handled this global crisis,” Paswan said.

Asked about his plans to curtail non-plan expenditure in his Steel and Chemical and Fertilisers ministries, Paswan said he will allow foreign tours of officials only if it is a ‘must go’ trip.

The minister also noted that he would himself refrain from ‘any unnecessary trip’ on government expenses.

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Seeking to put the onus of price rise on the state governments, the minister said, people know that the central government is not the only authority which can check inflation. State governments too can control it as they have done after fuel price hike.”

Commending Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for ‘successfully managing the economy in the time of crisis,’ Paswan said, “None else could have managed the situation so well as Manmohan Singh has done.”