Modi government hypocrite, promoting crony capitalism: Congress

The Congress on Sunday accused the central government of being a "hypocrite" and promoting "crony capitalism".

Addressing a press conference on the eve of the BJP-led government completing one year in office, Congress leader Anand Sharma said Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself stands accused of promoting crony capitalism in his various visits abroad.

"He has not only been accompanied by a select group of industrialists close to him on every trip, but they have been facilitated for business deals of arranging finance from foreign banks," the former union minister said.

"They say something and do something else. Why did the BJP keep out Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) out while finalising the Rafale 'Make in India' deal?

"Why was the private sector invited at the cost of public sector enterprises? Why was the telecom policy changed? This is not in the national interest. The BJP government will have to answer. Who is indulging in crony capitalism," he asked.

Anand Sharma also criticised the government over centralisation of power.

"This has adversely affected the decision-making and the parliamentary system. If the government is serious about fighting corruption, why did it fail to appoint the chief information commissioner (CIC), the chief vigilance commissioner (CVC) and the Lokpal," he asked.

Anand Sharma said important posts in various government departments like the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) and Drug Research Institute were lying vacant, with the government showing no inclination to appoint their heads.

"Many universities are without vice chancellors, the Indian Medical Council is without its head, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) is headless. The examples are numerous.

"The party that promised transparency in its functioning has not adhered to its words," the Congress leader charged.

This was clearly a case of paralysis of decision-making, he said.

"From hope to disappointment to gloom, there has been a complete reversal of the national mood," lamented Anand Sharma.

Taking a jibe at Finance Minister Arun Jaitley over his claim that the national mood has reversed, Anand Sharma said: "It is true that the nation one year back had hope, now it is totally reverse. There is arrogance and insensitivity among the ruling class."

"I have no hesitation to say that in this one year of the BJP rule, the government has proved to be anti-poor and anti-people, anti-SC/ST, anti women and anti-education," he said.

The slogan "sabke saath, sabka vikas" (together with all, progress for all) has now turned into "sabke saath, kuch ka vikas" (together with all, progress for few), Anand Sharma said.

The Modi government completes one year in office on May 25.