The BJP stepped up its attack against Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, saying he was in office but not in authority. The party said Singh gave the impression of working more like a CEO, taking direction from the board of a company whose chairman has all the authority but practically no accountability.
The BJP, in its political resolution moved by party's deputy leader in Lok Sabha Gopinath Munde and seconded by spokesman Shahanawaz Husain on the concluding day of the two day national executive meet here today, alleged that the Prime Minister lacked political authority.
Further, the party said there was a fundamental flow with the political structure which the UPA has followed.
"The Prime Minister must be the natural leader of the country and the government and he must be the last word in the matter of policy. However, Manmnohan Singh singularly fails these twin tests. There is not only twin leadership but the distance btween 7, Race Course Road and 10, Janpath is becoming wider. They are also not on the same page on a whole range of policy initiatives. There is serious disconnect in the government, between the ministers and also within the allies. It was the responsibilioty of the Prime Minister to set right the course. However, each day only reinforces the perception that the Prime Minister is in his office but not in authority," the party's political resolution said.
On policy paralysis and inflation, BJP said it was evident all over. Investment had slowed down, the industrial climate was very unfavourable and corruption added to the cost. The compulsion of coalition politics cannot be an alibi for inaction and corruption.
"Consensus building with the opposition cannot be a one way traffic where senior ministers make highly arrogant statements in dealing with states, in dealing with opposition and also making every effort to create difficulty for opposition ruled state government. Further, the government has practically no road map to address the inflation which has become almost a recurring feature," the party noted. According to the BJP, the Rs 7-plus rise in petrol price was the most cruel birthday gift of the UPA to the common man on its third anniversary.
On the spate of scams marking the UPA government's rule, BJP lashed out at the Congress saying that it was not serious in the fight against corruption. All the declarations made by the Prime Minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi sounded hollow and ironical.
"The Congress has a shameless record of abusing its authority to cover up the misdeeds of those who commit the worst sins of corruption. The UPA has made a mess of governance in the country. the people feel miserable because of corruption, indecision, inflation and profound sense of despair," the party observed. However, BJP said people look to the BJP which has a duty towards the suffering of the people to articulate their concern and it would continue to do so with determination.
On the recent assembly elections held in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab, Uttarakhand, Manipur and Goa, the BJP said the Congress has suffered serious reverses but severely punished by the voters even in the polls held to the municipal corporations in Mumbai, Delhi and Bangluru. This demonstrates the anger of the people against the gross misrule and corruption of the UPA government, the party resolution added.
On terrorism and naxal violence, the BJP said the normalcy in relationship with Pakistan was not possible unless it takes firm and decisive action against terrorist elements operating from these against India. "India needs to maintain strong vigil and firm action in tghe fight against terror. There must be zero tolerance and compromise against this challenge because not only the security and integrity but even the sovereignty of the country is involved," the party in its resolution noted.
Referring to the maoist violence, the BJP asserted the entire country needs to be very vigilant against this menace and there must be complete coordination between the central and state government against this challenge. BJP made a special mention of the Chhattisgarh episode involving the recent abduction and the release of district collector. Th party appreciated the firm stand taken by the Chhattisgarh chief minister Raman Singh and noted that even if the chief minister was kidnapped there was no need to bend before the unreasonable demands by maosits and naxals.
