BJP blames UPA for wrong economic policies

The Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday hit out at the government for the recent hike in petrol prices and alleged that this increase is a result of the UPA regime's wrong economic policies and not an outcome of any current global situation.

"The central government had hiked the petrol prices some days back. The impression given was that this is a normal process but it is actually an attempt to make people used to such harassment," BJP spokesperson Sudhanshu Trivedi said.

He dismissed the government's contention that the hike is not under its control as the price of petrol and diesel has been "deregulated". "The explanation that since the rupee is getting devalued and hence petroleum (which is mostly imported) prices are rising is a simplistic explanation," he said.

BJP charged that this is a result of the wrong economic policies pursued by the UPA government under an "economist Prime Minister". "This is not instantaneous but a long term thing. It is not circumstantial but due to the wrong policies of the government," Trivedi said.

"Both the intentions and policies of this government towards the economy are wrong. The thinking and understanding of this government about the Indian economy is both wrong," he added.

The main Opposition maintained that the NDA government had left a thriving economy but today fiscal deficit stands at 4.8 per cent and current account deficit at 6.7 per cent.

"Inflation has been at a high of 10 per cent for the last several years," Trivedi said.

The main Opposition maintained that had the government kept the economy in good shape it would have been in a position to bear the burden of subsidy and thus controlled price of petrol and diesel.