The Hindu Business Line : NDA violating Constitution, says Sonia

THE Congress Leader, Ms Sonia Gandhi, on Wednesday launched a frontal attack on the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Government's Interim Budget for 2004-05, stating that most of the announcements of economic decisions made before February 3 were violative of "all Constitutional value and Parliamentary practices."

Initiating a general discussion on the Interim Budget in the Lok Sabha, the Leader of Opposition said, "What more one can expect from such a government whose greater contribution is one of scams — Defence deal, petrol pump allocation, Delhi Development Authority land allotment, Tehelka and the Judeo-cash-on-camera expose".

She said the Finance Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, in his Interim Budget speech made tall claims of economic progress in the country. But the declining interest rate has made "a cruel joke on crores of small investors who have seen their value of saving eroded," she added.

She said in the last five years, investment rate, agricultural and industrial growth rate declined and unemployment had increased.

Ms Gandhi said the public sector, which provided employment to people was being destroyed and public sector undertakings are sold "for a song to a handful of people."

She said the Interim Budget referred to second green revolution and sops to sugar and tea industry. "But who are you trying to mislead since sugarcane, coconut, tea, rubber and other crop growers are being crushed under debt burden. You have not been able to provide farmers the minimum support price and nor procure their produce," Ms Gandhi said.

Ms Gandhi accused the Government of playing with the social fabric of society by endangering social harmony and attacking minorities — Dalits and tribals. She also attacked the Government for its failure to provide succour to people in unorganised sector, weavers and compromising on the autonomy of public institutions and centres of learning. She also criticised the Prime Minister, Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, for what she described for his "double speak" on Ayodhya, Gujarat incidents, relations with Pakistan and "every other issue".