At the end of UPA-2's three years in power, India has become a more unbalanced, strife-torn and unhappy society, with reduced human security and tattered social cohesion. Rather than correct policy course, the government deals with the resulting discontent with brute force, says Praful Bidwai
The Left parties' unhappiness over the functioning of the United Progressive Alliance government and especially its economic policies came to the fore on Monday with the Revolutionary Socialist Party deciding to withdraw from the UPA-Left coordination committee.
As United Progressive Alliance completes three years in office, opposition Bharatiya Janata Party on Tuesday claimed the government may fall anytime as coalition partners were unhappy and were not even ready to break bread together.
It said AMU is not and cannot be a university of any particular religion or religious denomination as any university which has been declared an institution of national importance cannot be a minority institution.
Lok Janshakti Party chief Ramvilas Paswan on Sunday said his party would support United Progressive Alliance candidate for Presidency.
Having kept it alive for four years with outside support, the Left on Tuesday branded the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government as 'no different' from its predecessor National Democratic Alliance government, on the economic and foreign policy fronts.The Marxist leader said Left parties, at their joint meeting in New Delhi on May 23, will further review the performance of the UPA government and take appropriate position.
Figures don't lie. And they say the UPA's 10 years of economic growth is slightly better than the previous 10 years of growth. End of debate.
The Samajwadi Party is ready for mid-term Lok Sabha polls but it is supporting the United Progressive Alliance government to keep communal forces at bay, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav said on Sunday.
Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday took potshots at Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, alleging his "lack" of leadership had made the United Progressive Alliance government a "sinking ship" and prompted even allies like Trinamool Congress to declare that he should be moved to the President's post.
'There was trust, but perhaps there was also this apprehension that given the supreme post of prime minister, Sonia Gandhi felt her authority may be a challenged.'
As Congress-led UPA-II completes three years in office, party leaders on Wednesday said India has performed much better in comparison to other countries during these years but the growth has not been up to the expectations of the government.
It will expedite disposal of cases as they won't get inordinately delayed, Shah said.
From the economy to foreign policy issues, to addressing the serious challenge posed by communal forces which are out to viciously polarise and divide Indian society, the UPA II government has shown a certain pronounced weakness and lack of vision and commitment that could seriously harm India in the long run, notes Sanjay Kapoor.
Denouncing the United Progressive Alliance government as a "failure" on all fronts, the Bharatiya Janata Party on Friday came out with a scathing "chargesheet" on its 10-year rule that accused Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi of being equally guilty of all ills by exercising authority without responsibility.
This is the first bill passed by the Lower House of Parliament in the Winter session, which began on Monday.
'Without a poverty line, how are we to know whether poverty is the same, or it has come down or it has gone up?'
The former Union minister also slammed Shashi Tharoor for his statement that praising the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for doing the right things would lend credibility to the opposition's criticism of him.
Tearing into the claims of the United Progressive Alliance about its flagship employment generation programme MNREGA, BJP's prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi on Tuesday alleged it had only "filled the pockets of Congress" and sought to debunk the much-touted RTI.
Modi launched a scathing attack on the Congress alleging that the opposition party has become outdated and has always been against any kind of reservation.
Reminding the UPA-II government about the need to reverse the negative perception of a 'decision-making paralysis', industry body Assocham has made a pitch for second-generation reforms in various sectors, including finance, banking, taxation and agriculture.
Mounting a scathing attack on the ruling United Progressive Alliance coalition at the Centre, Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said it was the "most corrupt" government after Independence and there was a "lack of direction and leadership at the central level". The UPA government is neck-deep in trouble, owing to its explicit greed for power and position. It is least concerned about consolidation and expansion of the economy," he said.
Mr Rahul Gandhi himself has given seven different prices in different speeches with regard to the Rafale, that is the 2007 offer.
She said that earlier governments used to sell dreams to people while the present regime is fulfilling the dreams.
In switching over, Nitish has sent out a message that if he could not now become the NDA's PM, then he would need to stay on as CM at the very least, which a third term for Modi would not let him have, N Sathiya Moorthy points out.
The Supreme Court on Wednesday directed activist Teesta Setalvad and her husband Javed Anand to cooperate with the Gujarat Police in connection with a case filed against them over alleged misappropriation of funds.
Samajwadi party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav on Sunday admitted that he had offered "issue based support to the United Progressive Alliance provided it drops Trinamool Congress from the alliance." Pointing out that the UPA government's policies were against common people, he said, "We have opposed their anti-people policies in the Lok Sabha. Our support to them will be based on consensus over issues like national security, price rise and the plight of farmers."
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday said that the United Progressive Alliance government's policies and programmes for rapid and inclusive growth are showing good results and the country has seen a record average economic growth in the last nine years.
Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav on Sunday said the decision to join the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre in the changed political scenario would be taken by Samajwadi Party supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav.
The UPA government hopes the logjam in Parliament over FDI in retail will end on Wednesday with the move to 'hold back' the Cabinet's decision on the issue. But things may not be that simple. Sheela Bhatt reports on the possible scenarios that may emerge.
The Union Budget for 2009-10 will reflect UPA government's ambitious agenda like Rs 3 kg rice or wheat for BPL families, enlarging NREGA coverage and more focus on infrastructure to bring the economy on high growth.
'They just say we agree to your demands in the meetings, which is lip service. But on the ground they do not implement anything.'
Prasad alleged there was pressure for extraneous considerations and 'bribe' for not finalising the Rafale deal during the UPA rule.
'The planning and implementation has gone horribly wrong.' 'What they are doing is in effect, establishing a large cheetah zoo.'
The BJP game-plan: Take the top slot, or a close second, either for the 'Lotus' or the larger NDA, if it can and push the AIADMK to the third place, explains N Sathiya Moorthy.
In his first interaction with India Inc, Rahul Gandhi said the politics of alienating communities is affecting growth.
Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh had a talk with Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Wednesday about security related, developmental and the political situation on Ground Zero in Chhattisgarh's tribal area.
Rahul Gandhi has received a setback because he has been rudely reminded that a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha is against his first political endeavour, reports Sheela Bhatt.
Rahul Gandhi has received a setback because he has been rudely reminded that a two-third majority in the Lok Sabha is against his first political endeavour, reports Sheela Bhatt.
Seeking to dispel the perception of gloom amid scams and controversies, the United Progressive Alliance on Wednesday painted a rosy picture of its government's performance during the last nine years, contending the fruits of economic growth have reached both urban and rural areas.
