Austerity measures ploy to divert from price rise: JD(U)

Terming austerity measures by top Congress leaders as a sham,the JD(U) on Thursday rubbished these as mere ploy to divert the attention from price rise.

Terming austerity measures by top Congress leaders as a sham,the JD(U) on Thursday rubbished these as mere ploy to divert the attention from price rise and questioned why similar steps were not taken during the UPA’s first term in power.

“The austerity drive is a ploy by Congress led UPA government to divert attention from drought and price rise which have hit the common man hard. Why did they not launch any such drive earlier when they were in power for last five years?,” JD(U) President Sharad Yadav told reporters here.

Terming the drive a “sham”,Yadav said the UPA government should instead bring a legislation to check extravagance if it was serious about the issue. He alleged the drive was started after External Affairs Minister S M Krishna and his MoS Shashi Tharoor were exposed “lavishly” spending on hotel bills.

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“These were done to cover up this issue,” Yadav said when asked about the economy class air-travel of Congress President Sonia Gandhi and train journey of Rahul Gandhi.

He also attacked Congress over Tharoor’s “cattle class” remark saying,”such people are in large numbers in the party who do not know that people live in these conditions.”

About Tharoor he said,”Tharoor is not fit to become external affairs minister. He does not understand any problems of the country. He understands neither Kerala nor his own constituency.”