Can’t say yes or no, BJP ambivalent on reforms

The BJP on Friday remained ambivalent on the economic reforms cleared by the govt, saying it was not anti-reforms in general but could not immediately say a 'yes' or 'no' to the announcements. HT reports.

The BJP on Friday remained ambivalent on the latest economic reforms cleared by the government, saying it was not anti-reforms in general but could not immediately say a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ to the announcements.

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However, it threw hints that it may not back the Centre on reforms in the present situation.

“Yesterday’s decisions on FDI in pension and insurance sectors are against the recommendations of the parliamentary standing committee on finance, which had said the quantum of FDI should be 26%,” BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said. “The party would also discuss the government’s ‘neeyat’ (intention) in clearing them now.”

The BJP also upped the ante on the government over corruption, saying the country was being led by a government that acted like the “Italian mafia”.

The party defended its president Nitin Gadkari over allegations that he had written to the government to release central funds for an irrigation project in Maharashtra producing a letter purportedly written by Maharashtra Congress president Manikrao Thakare to Union minister PK Bansal requesting release of funds for the Gosikhurd irrigation project in Vidarbha.

A day ago, the Congress had accused Gadkari of writing to the Centre for the same project to favour some contractors.