UPA Govt. faces opposition's ire over host of issues

New Delhi, Aug 2 (ANI): Setting aside their ideological differences, the opposition parties on Tuesday attacked the Congress-led UPA Government at the Centre over price rise, allotment of land to a trust run by party chief Sonia Gandhi and delay in tabling the new Land Acquisition Bill for enactment during the current monsoon session of the parliament.

Lawmakers of these parties spelt out their anger over these issues.

Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) leader Sitaram Yechury said the government had done nothing to control the spiralling prices of essential commodities despite endorsing a resolution to this effect last year.

He sought a discussion on the issue in both the houses of parliament under voting clause to bind the government to take certain measures in this regard.

"Nothing has been done by the government after the resolution. On the contrary at least on three occasions they increased the prices of petroleum products, which have contributed to the overall price rise and further burdens people," Yechury told reporters outside the Parliament House in New Delhi.

"Therefore, we want today a discussion, proper discussion which will commit the government to take certain measures and steps and that is only possible under rule 176 in the Rajya Sabha and either through an adjournment motion or a rule in the Lok Sabha where there will be voting," he added.

Meanwhile, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded an explanation from the government after it came to light that huge chunk of land had been allotted to a trust run by Sonia Gandhi in Haryana.

"For one acre of land they (the Congress party) are asking for the head of Yeddyuruppa as indicted by Lokayukta. He has resigned. But here is a case where in the family trust, in which all the eminent members of the family are trustees, huge chunk of land has been given and thereafter released from acquisition. Will the Congress party explain?" noted Prasad.

Bahujan Samaj Party lawmaker Dara Singh Chauhan speaking on the occasion termed government as anti-farmer since it has dilly-dallied in tabling the new Land Acquisition Bill.

"They (Congress) had promised that they would bring a new Land Acquisition Bill to give justice to farmers. But it is unfortunate for the farmers of this country that top leaders of Congress party are not in favour of passing this Bill and enacting the law. It is amply clear that federal government is anti-farmer," said Chauhan..

"The latest example is, yesterday (August 01) I saw on Live India (a news channel) that a senior leader refused to meet farmers from Haryana," he added.

Congress General Secretary Rahul Gandhi had tried to tap the resentment among farmers in Uttar Pradesh.

The farmers had lamented that their lands have been taken away cheaply and that they have no other means of livelihood.

The opposition parties have been criticizing the government over a series of scams, including price-rise issues, blasts in Mumbai and policy flip-flop on the Lokpal Bill. (ANI)