Arun Jaitley hits out at govt’s ‘power centres’

Bharatiya Janata Party(BJP) leader Arun Jaitley on Saturday attacked the dual centres of power in the UPA government under which Congress president Sonia Gandhi has the last word while there was no accountability of the Prime Minister as is expected in a democracy. Terming it as a structural defect in the system due to which the nation has paid a ‘big price’, he said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh lacked leadership while ministers have to bow before Gandhi because of her clout and influence.

'There is a serious crisis of leadership, in a democracy the Prime Minister has the last word that is why the Prime Minister should be such who has the most political clout and political experience, accountability in a democracy is that of Prime Minister and this did not happen in this regime, this is a lesson for the future,' said  the Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha  in his lecture on 'India 2020 - Challenges Ahead'.

The BJP leader said that the nation needed a leadership which has proven ability to steer it out of the current crisis. 'Today this nation needs a leadership which has proven ability.... In the world's largest democracy, you create a leadership on the basis of proven ability or will it become a dynastic democracy?', said Jaitley. Without taking Gandhi's name, Jaitley said she wielded more influence on the government and no one questioned her.

'Because of a particular individual, who wields so much clout and influence that even Ministers have to bow before her word and it should become the last word. No government can run like this,' remarked Jaitley. The BJP leader  termed the last over nine years of UPA regime in the country as a wasted opportunity and said policy paralysis has gripped the nation which was having its effect now.

Referring to the current currency crisis that had led to the fall in value of Rupee, Jaitley said,'we are spending more foreign currency and earning less of it.... When there is no attraction in our economy, then there will be problems'. On the missing files in coal block allocation case, he said clarity will be sought in Parliament when the government's reply comes as to what is the definition of missing files and whether it includes other documents and applications also.