Shimla: Former Union minister and senior Congress leader Anand Sharma on Sunday said that economy of the country was in "struggling" phase and sought a white paper on overdraft and financial position of the Union government.
"The NDA government's claims that the economy is on recovery path are hollow and misplaced and in fact it is in struggling phase with all the parameters of growth like manufacturing, service sector, agriculture and exports have shown declining trends," Sharma said.
He demanded a white paper on overdraft and financial position of the union government. Sharma also dubbed the one year rule of Modi government as "year of betrayal, broken promises and boastful claims" and accused him of taking credit for schemes and implemented by previous UPA government.
"Wisdom seems to have dawn on Narendra Modi after assuming the office of the Prime Minister and he has not only recognised the merits of schemes of UPA government and continued with them but renamed and re-branded the schemes for claiming credit," he said while addressing the media persons on Sunday.
Modi government is taking credit for JAM (Jandhan, Adhaar and mobile numbers) trinity but all these schemes were conceived and implemented by the UPA government, he said adding that at that time the then BJP, which was in opposition, had criticised these policies and even declared to scrap the Adhaar scheme.
Sharma said that petroleum prices which were hovering around 125 dollars per barrel have crashed to 55-66 dollars per barrel but the NDA government has not passed on the benefit to the consumers but earned Rs 62,000 crores and revised the excise duty thrice. The price of petrol must be reduced by Rs 25 per litre, he demanded.
Referring to the Gujarat model of development, he said the CAG reports have exposed the irregularities committed by the state government and added that,"If CAG reports in Delhi can create a turmoil the CAG reports on Gujarat cannot go unnoticed and we will ask all the questions at the right time.
Ridiculing the claims of the government that there has been no case of corruption or scam during the NDA government, Sharma said that there is difference between corruption and allegation of corruption and the UPA government had taken legal actions like bringing the RTI Act, Lokpal Bill and whistle blower Act but the BJP government has not appointed the Lokpal and several key pots are lying vacant.
The Congress leader said the coal block auctions were done as per the policy of the government since 1991 and even the blocks allotted by Vajpayee government have been cancelled by the Supreme Court.
Alleging that the RSS has taken over reins of power, Sharma said,"One hardcore RSS activist has been appointed with each minister and they are calling the shots." Referring to the allegations that external affairs minister Sushma Swaraj helped Lalit Modi for getting visa to UK, Sharma said that he would verify the facts from government and UK embassy before making any comment.
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