While the government side gave the details of the steps taken by it to check the rising inflation including tight monetary policy, the opposition accused the government of not doing enough to control price hike which is deeply effecting the common man
Discussion under rule 184 which entails voting, on the issue of price rise was initiated by BJP leader Yashwant Sinha.
Treasury benches defended the govt with Salman Khurshid taking the lead.
Participating in the debate, the Law Minister and senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid while hailing the steps taken by the government to check price rise, said that high inflation is a global phenomena.
He said, even the United States is struggling to repay, its mounting burden of debt. Mr. K. S. Rao of Congress while defending the government said that substantial increase in the minimum support price of food grains has contributed to high food prices.
He enumerated the steps taken by the government for the betterment of agriculture sector and called for cash subsidy to farmers who use diesel for irrigation.
The leader of the main opposition BJP Yashwant Sinha while strongly criticising the UPA government alleged there is no food management policy. Mr. Yashwant Sinha also charged the government that corruption is the biggest cause of inflation and it is high time that steps are taken to plug the leakages in the Public Distribution System.
He urged the government to bring 25 million tonnes of foodgrains in the market to bring down prices. JDU chief Sharad Yadav urged the government to focus more on inclusive growth than high GDP.
Shailendra Kumar of Samajwadi Party, Gurudas Dasgupta of CPI, Dara Singh Chauhan of BSP, Anant Geete of Shiv Sena and Members from other constituents of UPA, Left Front and NDA participated in the discussion. The Finance Minister Mr. Pranab Mukherjee will reply the debate on Thursday.
Parliament, which resumed normal business after two days of disruption, also took up a discussion in the afternoon on the internal security in the country.
Participating in the debate in the Rajya Sabha, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad, while criticizing the government of not being serious to tackle terrorism, said that there could be no talks with Pakistan when terrorists are carrying their acts of violence in India. Members from BSP, SP, Shiv Sena and other parties participated in the discussion and urged the government to take effective steps to strengthen internal security in the country. The Home Minister Mr. P. Chidambaram will respond to the debate on Thursday.