Heckled PM fights back

Kya mein chor hoon, he asks Jaitley

• No reversal of policies, political consenus needed for reforms
• Asked about the missing coal files, PM said he was not the custodian of files
• Short-term economic shocks are the result of globalisation
• Economic fundamentals are strong, he tells Yechury
• 6-8 % economic growth in the next 2-3 years
• Yashwant Sinha: Statement disappoints

Have you heard of any country where MPs shout, walk to the well of House and say 'Prime Minister chor hai' (PM is a thief). Despite what some members may say, I do command a certain respect in the Council of G-20 - Prime Minister Manmohan Singh

“Have you heard of any democracy where PM won a vote of confidence by buying members of Parliament? We would like to know what PM intends to do for reviving the economy. We don't want to hear alibis for failure" - Arun Jaitley, Leader of Opposition, RS

“He simply used words, which had no meaning. He did not bring forth anything new. The country has been let down with his speech as the people cannot see any beacon of hope, after the Prime Minister's statement," - Yashwant Sinha, former FM and BJP leader

It is unfortunate because this was the occasion for the Prime Minister, through the Parliament, could tell the country - to give them confidence as to how this crisis would be overcome, what they are planning to do - Sitaram Yechury, CPI (M)

After this the confidence of the country and the investors should have increased by at least 10-20 paise but it has actually fallen- Sushma Swaraj, Opposition Leader, LS

He has not owned up anything and shifted blame on others. He was in such a hurry that he gave the speech and left the House immediately. Situation is not going to improve because of the government. So if the government is not able to control the situation then let the people of the country decide on it. - Sharad Yadav, President, JD-U

Anita Saluja

New Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is branded as “Mauni Baba” (silent saint), has finally chosen not to be on the defensive any longer by hitting out at the Opposition as never before in the Rajya Sabha. A furious Prime Minister blamed the Opposition for contributing to the economic crisis by stalling Parliament and blocking all essential legislation that would have addressed the concerns of the investors like insurance and pension reforms. Showing signs of desperation, the Prime Minister, in a well-crafted strategy, brought-in politics in what was meant out to be a statement on the slowdown of economy. Not taking the criticism against him lightly, he, from the word-go, lashed out at the Opposition for not cooperating with the government in bringing about reforms in the country.

Accusing the BJP of never being able to reconcile itself to the fact that it lost power in 2004, he wanted to know, “Is there any example of a Prime Minister not being allowed to introduce his new Council of Ministers to the Parliament that was done in 2004?” If that was not enough, he went on to deliver yet another shocker, “Have you heard of any country, where members of opposition walk into the well of the House and shout, “Prime Minister chor hai. Prime Minister chor hai (PM is a thief),” he asked. He said, “Whatever some members of the House may say about me as the Prime Minister, I command a certain status, certain prestige and a certain respect in the Group of 20,” confirming his participation in the G-20 Summit at St Petersburg in Russia slated for Sept 5-6.

Lashing out at Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, who had blamed him earlier for the failing economy, the Prime Minister said that there were certain developments that were a source of concern to the investors. “Parliament was not allowed to function, session after session,” he remarked, with investors getting a wrong signal. The Prime Minister said that there is a need to send out positive signal jointly that India is a viable economic destination.

In what turned out to be a war-of-words, between the Prime Minister and leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley, the latter also shot back, “Have you heard of any democracy where the PM won a vote of confidence by buying Members of Parliament?” Arun Jaitley, while speaking in the debate, said that the track-record of the Prime Minister was of pursuing populist policies and not reform. He said, “If you continue to follow the course, then the legacy that you leave behind will not be the legacy that you left behind as the Finance Minister. That legacy was different. Your legacy as Prime Minister will be that of – After me the deluge.”

The leader of the Opposition blamed corruption and scams like 2G spectrum and coal that have shaken the investors’ confidence, to which the Prime Minister replied later that it was the UPA government that brought in RTI, due to which corruption came to light. These episodes need not lead to disruption of Parliament. There are institutional mechanisms and agencies that can address the issue of corruption. “Let the guilty be brought to book. We are not protecting any guilty,” he said. When asked about missing coal files, the PM retorted – “I am not the custodian of files in Coal Ministry.”

“Short-term shocks is the reality of a globalised economy, whose benefits we have reaped.” He said that the easy reforms of the past had been done. “We have the more difficult reforms to do, such as reduction of subsidies, insurance and pension reforms, eliminating bureaucratic red-tape and implementing Goods and Services Tax,” he said. )Referring to CPM MP Sitaram Yechury’s remarks that Indian economy is headed for a crisis, similar to that of 1991, the Prime Minister rejected the charge. He said that the economic fundamentals of India were strong. While in the Rajya Sabha, the Prime Minister succeeded to vent his ire against the BJP-led Opposition, in Lok Sabha, the BJP, AIADMK and the Left staged a walkout, not satisfied with his statement.