BJP allies demand rollback of wheat, rice prices under PDS

NEW DELHI, MARCH 6: The facade of unity in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance NDA was broken on Monday with leaders of almost a do...

NEW DELHI, MARCH 6: The facade of unity in the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance NDA was broken on Monday with leaders of almost a dozen parties supporting the Government serving an ultimatum to Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee to rollback the prices of wheat and rice distributed through the Public Distribution System PDS as well as that of fertilisers.

Piqued at being bypassed by the BJP on crucial decisions, the leaders submitted a memorandum to Vajpayee demanding a rollback of prices of urea and PDS commodities hiked in the Budget. The Prime Minister suggested they should meet Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha on Tuesday.

Deputy leader of Janata Dal U Parliamentary Party Devendra Prasad Yadav threatened to pull down the Government by voting in favour of a cut motion on the issue. 8220;We have already voted against the Government on the issue of Common Civil Code, we may do it again,8221; he told reporters saying all democratic means would be adopted by the allies, within Parliament and outside it, to press for their demand.

The Finance Minister should have taken the NDA constituents into confidence while formulating the Budget, Yadav said. Telugu Desam Party leader K Yerran Naidu, citing the example of the United Front Government which consulted its constituents before increasing the petroleum prices, demanded that the NDA Government too should brief its constituent parties on the need for hiking prices of kerosene and LPG.

Earlier, leaders of only six parties 8212; the TDP, DMK, INLD, Samata Party and the Akali Dal besides the BJP 8212; turned up for the NDA meeting convened on Monday to find a way out of the parliamentary deadlock on the issue of Gujarat Government8217;s order allowing its employees to join RSS activities.

Though the unanimous decision at the meeting was to have a discussion in Lok Sabha only under Rule 193 and not Rule 184 which entails voting, Naidu is learnt to have suggested that the BJP should use its influence in persuading the Gujarat Government in withdrawing the controversial circular.

Incidentally, it was Naidu again, who along with Yadav, piloted the move to oppose urea and PDS price hike. Monday8217;s memorandum to the PM was signed by Samata leader Raghnath Jha, MDMK leader Vaiko, DMK leader C Kuppuswami, PMK leader P D Elangovan, INLD leader Sushil Indora, MGR-ADMK leader S Thirunavukarasu and Shiv Sena leader Anant Geete.

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Akali Dal MP Trilochan Singh went to meet the PM with other leaders but did not sign the memorandum. Trinamool Congress leader Sudip Bandopadhayay reportedly informed Naidu over telephone that he agreed with the decision taken by the other allies on the issue.

Agitated leaders of the allies accused the Government of hurting the poor and the farmers by hiking the prices of PDS commodities and urea. The memorandum pointed out that the 2000-2001 Budget has proposed a substantial reduction of about 12 per cent in food subsidy and 4.5 per cent in fertilizer subsidy.

8220;The hike in the issue prices of foodgrain will particularly place unbearable burden on the States,8221; the memorandum said with obvious reference to Andhra Pradesh where PDS subsidy costs Rs 1,130 crore per annum to the Government and PDS price hike would add another Rs 400 crore to it.