Modi govt confused on Pak policy; BJP's stubborn attitude blocked GST: Congress

Hitting out at the NDA government on Friday the top guns of Congress said that Modi government's policy on Pakistan seems to be muddled and confused.

New Delhi: The Indian National Congress kick-started New Year 2016 by hitting out at the NDA government on Friday with the top guns of the grand old party saying Modi government's policy on Pakistan seems to be muddled and confused.

“Our position is that we must engage with Pakistan but U-turns and impulsive steps do not make a good foreign policy,” said senior P Chidambaram while addressing a press conference here.

He further said, “India has now lost its goodwill in Nepal.”

On Delhi government's odd-even vehicle rationing formula, Chidambaram said, “I support odd-even plan. It's important that for short periods such plans must be implemented to change people's behavior.”

“The people of India are not impressed with numerous foreign trips made by Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” Chidambaram said.

Further attacking the Center over economy, the senior Congress leader said, "None of the promises made by the NDA government on development have materialised. Government had confidently predicted 8.1-8.5% GDP in 2015. On the contrary GDP not likely to be higher than 7-7.5%." 

"Centre does not seem confident of meeting fiscal deficit target for 2015-16. Exports have recorded 12 successive months of decline, this is unprecedented," he added.

Lashing out the Modi government on GDP, Chidambaram said, "NDA government's promises of more jobs, greater investment, faster infrastructural development were premised on high GDP growth." 

Chidambaram also accused the BJP-led NDA government of not respecting the views of Opposition inorder to allow the passage of long pending GST Bill in Parliament.

In a statement issued by him today, the senior Congress leader said the government was itself at fault behind the deadlock over the important legislature.

"The government has not been able to find a way to accommodate the views of the Opposition and pass the GST Bill. I am afraid the government has only to blame itself and its stubborn and unbending attitude," Chidambaram said.