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Cong., Left slam Govt. on ordinance
By Our Special Correspondent
NEW DELHI, JAN. 9. The Opposition parties today criticised the Government's decision to issue an ordinance permitting an increase in excise duty.
The Congress termed it a ``violation of the Constitution and all Parliamentary norms'' and said it would ``not support such gimmicks and ad hoc moves,'' while the Left parties accused the Government of giving the excuse of a possible Indo-Pak. conflict ``to impose greater burden on people.''
In a statement, two former Congress Finance Ministers, Manmohan singh and Pranab Mukherjee, slammed the Government's move.
``It points to the gross mismanagement of the country's finances by the NDA Government,'' they said.
Accusing the Government of trying to ``window-dress'' accounts, they said the move would increase speculation and create unnecessary uncertainty faced by the economy.
The two leaders said the proposed ordinance would further depress the climate for growth and erode the confidence and credibility in the economic management of the country. They also referred to the ``investment famine'' and the severe crisis of confidence and credibility being faced by the economy.
The CPI(M) said the decision was taken to control the burgeoning fiscal deficit in order ``not to displease the IMF.''
The party said its stand that the Government would only exasperate the recessionary conditions by imposing further burden on people, thereby contracting the domestic demand economy, was now vindicated.
The new move would not only impose an extra burden on people, but would further reduce their purchasing power
The Central Secretariat of the CPI said the move was unacceptable, and demanded that the Government reverse its decision. `This would heap an unbearable burden on the people'', it said.
The party also objected to the Government using the pretext of the possibility of a war breaking out to raise money. ``This is yet another instance of creating a war psychosis,'' it said.
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