Statement of Shri Ravi Shankar Prasad
National Spokesperson & MP

Mismanagement of Food Economy

It is indeed a matter of very deep concern that India under the UPA is increasingly entering into an era of food insecurity. This coupled with sharp increase in price of food grains and other articles of daily use clearly shows that the common man (Aam Adami) is the biggest victim of the gross mismanagement of the food economy and criminal indifference towards the need to check prices. The nation would like to know as to why we have so much of mismanagement of the food economy when a “well-known” economist Dr. Manmohan Singh is at the helms as the Prime Minister for the last about four years. In fact prices have continued to rise in the last four years. The nation is suddenly entitled to know as to why a food economy of surplus which the NDA government has left has become an economy of scarcity during the UPA regime. It is too well-known to be recalled that during the NDA regime particularly between the years 2000-2003 had the highest record of buffer stock of food grains and the situation was so comfortable that food grains worth 7000 crores were even exported in the year 2003 as plenty was available in India at reasonable affordable prices. Now the situation is so alarming that the prices of essential food articles have shown an alarming rise even after the presentation of the so-called pro-people budget in March.

Series of steps have been taken which remains unexplained but have damaged the moral of Indian farmers. It is now too well-known that sub standard wheat were imported at higher prices from outside where as the Indian farmers were paid less during the course procurement. When the price of pulses were rising enormously, in disregards of all directives exemptions were granted to unscrupulous exporters enjoying patronage, to export Indian pulses abroad and earn huge profit. The matter was raised by the BJP and this led to the institution of CBI inquiry. In fact the government has never been serious in the management of food economy. The record of UPA in the last four years constitutes the biggest betrayal of Aam Adami.

In fact comments of experts including the planning commission indicate that today the countries per capita availability of food grains has fallen to the levels of 1970s. Increasing demand, stagnating and declining output in the face of lack of policy initiative and direction to solve the problem make a heady cocktail for disaster of great magnitude. This crisis which is only going to worsens is a national problem which demands national solutions which is holistic and systematic. Every issue is inter-related ranging from declining productivity, low minimum support price, the cycle of debt forcing suicide and any proper initiative for agriculture growth in tune with contemporary needs. As demanded by the BJP National President Shri Rajnath Singh, the government must come out with the policy statement addressing the long term and short measures to contain this serious crisis and take Parliament into confidence.

The Illusory Third Front

The comical political theatre which is presently going in the country in the name of the illusory third front clearly demonstrates that it is less of an ideological combination and more of a platform for convenient political bargain. The Left after enjoying power without responsibility for four years along with the UPA is now probing the possibility of the third front in case the government does not resolves the issue raised by them, though they have not shown the courage to leave the government. The Samajwady Party after becoming the major propellant of the third front is now having a cocktail with the Congress because the CBI is the bar-tender. People of the country are now sick of the facade which goes in the name of third front. The politics of the country has become bipolar now wherein the BJP and the Congress are the principal Parties leading the combination of two poles.

(Shyam Jaju)
Office Incharge