Mumbai: NCP President Sharad Pawar today slammed BJP on the issue of price rise saying that people are paying the price of the party-led government's wrong policies at the Centre and state.
"When the UPA was in power last year, the prices of tur dal was Rs 73 while now it is Rs 200. 5.40 lakh tonne imported dal is held up on the ship at the Mumbai port for the last 10 days because of wrong policies of the government," he said while addressing a party rally here to protest the failures of the BJP government in the state which completed a year in office today.
Pawar alleged that traders who helped BJP in the elections are hoarding essential commodities resulting in price rise.
Warning the government against arrogance of power, he said Prime Minister Narendra Modi should not test people's patience.
"BJP won all the eight Lok Sabha seats in Delhi but a few months later faced a humiliating defeat in the Assembly polls. BJP should keep in mind that arrogance of power can pull it down. People are saying instead of 'acche din' (better days), they wanted the old days back," he said in a reference to BJP's slogan of bringing 'acche din' after coming to power.
Hitting out at attempts to polarise the society, the Maratha strongman said the Haryana Chief Minister tells people to go to Pakistan if they want to do a certain thing. This country belongs to all, he said.
Lashing out at the BJP governments both at the Centre and in the state for issues ranging from price rise to law and order, Pawar said that the state government has done nothing mentionable in the year.
Farmers, labourers and all sections of the society have suffered because of this government, he alleged.
People need to decide how long they should tolerate the government, he charged.
The communal elements who are spreading hatred in our otherwise peaceful society have gained confidence as the government is backing them, the NCP chief alleged.
"The BJP had promised many things to come to power, but they haven't been able to fulfill even basic promise like bringing down prices," he said.
Pawar said traders from pulses association told him that government is doing nothing to bring down prices. The government wants the traders who helped them during elections to benefit more, he alleged.
Pawar further alleged that the government has failed to provide relief to farmers and common man even as the state is facing severe drought.
He also took a dig at the state government over law and order situation in Maharashtra.
"Also, the law and order situation is at its worst in the state and even worse in the Nagpur, the Chief Minister's hometown," he said.
Pawar also lashed out at the Centre for shutting down pharma industries started during Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru's period for the benefit of poor.
Earlier, while addressing the rally, NCP leaders Chhagan Bhujbal and Sunil Tatkare too targeted the state government. Bhujbal raised the issue of writers returning the award and said that the government has gone insensitive, while Tatkare lashed out at the corruption within the government.
"There are allegations of corruption against ministers. The government does not seem serious about all these issues. If the present conditions go on, Maharashtra will be beyond the control of this government," Tatkare said.
