BJP to Launch Signature Campaign against Inflation

Stepping up its war against inflation, BJP has decided in its national conclave to launch a signature campaign against price rise from March 1, reported NDTV.

With an aim to get more than five crore signature, party has asked its workers to stand at bus stops, railway stations and outside offices to gather signatures, said report.

The came comes in the backdrop of caution of the Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council (EAC) that food inflation might spill over to other sectors next fiscal.

Alleging that members of the Union Cabinet made money through futures trading in the commodity markets, the BJP also demanded a Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to probe the government’s omissions and commissions, which, it said, caused price rise, said report.

“BJP believes that the most important reason for price rise, apart from incompetence and lack of leadership in the government, is rampant corruption at all levels in government.

“Members of the Cabinet have made money through futures trading in the commodity markets,” the main Opposition stated in its economic resolution at the party’s national council meet.

Former Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha, who moved the resolution, was quoted as saying, “The National Council of BJP demands that a Joint Parliamentary Committee should be formed without delay to enquire into all acts of omissions and commissions of the government.”

While holding Prime Minister Manmohan Singh directly responsible for price rise as he was the Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Prices, Sinha said there were differences in the cabinet on the policy to be adopted to control prices, report said.

“The ministers of the government have started blaming each other. The Prime Minister and his party is blaming the Food Minister, the Food Minister is blaming the Prime Minister and reminding him of the concept of collective responsibility of the cabinet. It is a free for all,” Sinha was quoted as saying.