BJP labels PM’s speech a reflection of his pessimism and negativism

The Prime Minister,who is often accused by the opposition of not speaking on issues,attacked BJP,accusing it of hampering growth and hurting investor sentiment by repeatedly disrupting Parliament. BJP launched a counter- attack on Singh outside the House.

“The Prime Minister spoke today. He hardly ever speaks. Normally he speaks at 40,000 feet to reporters while returning from a foreign trip or at Rashtrapati Bhawan on the sidelines of some programme. Otherwise,he reads out written statements,” Deputy Leader of BJP in Rajya Sabha Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters.

He maintained that this makes it difficult to know what is passing through the Prime Minister’s mind. However,when he spoke in Parliament today,he failed to evoke any confidence,he said.

“We felt that the Prime Minister’s statement today about the economy was full of pessimism,negativism and bitterness,” Prasad said.

“Can such a bitter Prime Minister having such negative instincts give hope,faith and confidence?” he wondered.

BJP said it was hopeful the economist Prime Minister will understand the symptoms of the disease affecting the economy,diagnose it and provide the right treatment but he had looked for alibis.

“There is a term professor emeritus for a highly qualified,able professor. With all due respect,we want to say the Prime Minister is alibi emeritus,” Prasad.

Asked about the Prime Minister’s statement in Parliament,senior BJP leader L K Advani said,”It is particularly sad and hurtful. I have never seen a government like this.”

Prasad said Singh’s USP is that he is an eminent economist but he has failed to bail out the economy.

BJP alleged that the Prime Minister and Finance Minister P Chidambaram are being “economical with the truth” when they seek to blame former Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for the ills plaguing the economy.

The party hit out at the Prime Minister for saying global factors including reports of an imminent US attack on Syria were responsible for the economic challenges.

“Earlier,when there was 7 to 8 per cent growth you did not say that it is due to global factors,” he said.

It maintained that there is a sense of pessimism and lack of trust among investors. “The Indian economy is on auto-pilot on a downhill road,” Prasad said.

He said there is little likelihood of any improvement in the economy as “the patient is reluctant to accept that he is ill”.

The party rued that the Prime Minister has sought to put all the blame on the opposition and did not try to answer the questions raised by the Leader of the Opposition.

“The Prime Minister has said the reputation of the country suffers due to disruptions in Parliament. Please let the country know whether the image of the country suffers due to corruption,loot and cover-up or not,” he said

Taking on the Prime Minister for his charge that the opposition is disrupting Parliament’s functioning,Prasad said the issue of corruption is the reason for the disruptions. “There can be no and there will be no consensus on corruption,” he said

Party leader Yashwant Sinha said Singh’s statement is “extremely disappointing and frustrating” and accused him of “insulting” the opposition and Lok Sabha by not waiting to listen to the Leader of the Opposition.

“It is the most disappointing,frustrating statement that the Prime Minister has chosen to give. The country is facing a crisis of credibility. And that credibility gap will not be bridged by this statement,” Sinha said.