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Deve Gowda attacks govt on defence and rural fronts
New Delhi, Aug 19: Janata Dal(S) leader and Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda today made a two-pronged charge against the NDA government challenging it to make public the CVC report on defence deals and the steps against the plight of farmers in the country.
New Delhi, Aug 19: Janata Dal(S) leader and Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda today made a two-pronged charge against the NDA government challenging it to make public the CVC report on defence deals and the steps against the plight of farmers in the country.
Participating in the second day's debate on the Congress-sponsored no-confidence motion in the Lok Sabha, he also dared Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and Defence Minister George Fernandes to reveal if any malpractices had taken place in the purchase of defence equipment.
Gowda, whose speech was interrupted by noisy exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches, wanted to know whether the purchase of Russian-made T-90 tanks, self-propelled guns and South African multi-barrel rockets were made through a single vendor system or global tender.
Alleging that the T-90 main battle tanks had developed technical snags, he said the government was accountable for this and it could not evade giving the CVC reports to the PAC.
''We can not compromise on national security and spending of public money on defence purchases,'' he said.
Referring to the announcement made by Fernandes in 2000 of an inquiry into all defence purchases since 1985, Gowda said he would welcome a probe to bring into light whether dubious deals were struck during his ten-months of prime ministership as well and who were the responsible persons.
Accusing the government of neglecting the severe distress of farmers, he said while loans were being offered to industrial houses at low rates between 6 per cent and 6.5 per cent, peasants were being denied that benefit.
He alleged that despite an announcement by the Prime Minister for lowering of interest rate for farmers to nine per cent from 14 per cent on loans up to Rs 50,000, it had not been implemented. Vajpayee should give a clarification on it, he said.
Commenting on the recently passed NABARD Bill, which sought to enable peasants get access to soft loans through cooperatives, Gowda said that the enactment would not stand in good stead since not even 25 per cent of the country's farmers were covered by cooperative system.
''Everyday farmers are committing suicide and the government has no concern. This government has neglected the farming community and this has led to regional disparity and rural-urban divide,'' he
Bureau Report
Gowda, whose speech was interrupted by noisy exchanges between the treasury and opposition benches, wanted to know whether the purchase of Russian-made T-90 tanks, self-propelled guns and South African multi-barrel rockets were made through a single vendor system or global tender.
Alleging that the T-90 main battle tanks had developed technical snags, he said the government was accountable for this and it could not evade giving the CVC reports to the PAC.
''We can not compromise on national security and spending of public money on defence purchases,'' he said.
Referring to the announcement made by Fernandes in 2000 of an inquiry into all defence purchases since 1985, Gowda said he would welcome a probe to bring into light whether dubious deals were struck during his ten-months of prime ministership as well and who were the responsible persons.
Accusing the government of neglecting the severe distress of farmers, he said while loans were being offered to industrial houses at low rates between 6 per cent and 6.5 per cent, peasants were being denied that benefit.
He alleged that despite an announcement by the Prime Minister for lowering of interest rate for farmers to nine per cent from 14 per cent on loans up to Rs 50,000, it had not been implemented. Vajpayee should give a clarification on it, he said.
Commenting on the recently passed NABARD Bill, which sought to enable peasants get access to soft loans through cooperatives, Gowda said that the enactment would not stand in good stead since not even 25 per cent of the country's farmers were covered by cooperative system.
''Everyday farmers are committing suicide and the government has no concern. This government has neglected the farming community and this has led to regional disparity and rural-urban divide,'' he
Bureau Report