Does PM think only of the common man, not woman: Modi

Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday attacked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh over the issue of inflation, accusing him of being "insensitive" to the plight of the aam aadmi (common people).

Asking the prime minister to give reasons for this "insensitiveness", Modi wondered whether he was only concerned about the common man and not the common women, who generally bear the brunt of inflation.

"I hope it is not because he (the PM) sought votes in the name of the common man. But the most affected due to inflation is the common woman. Does he only think about the common man and not about the common woman, as he is not concerned about her," Modi said on the sidelines of the National Development Council meeting in New Delhi.

Modi also criticised Dr Singh for "not uttering a single word to tackle inflation in his future plans. It is unfortunate that there is no word about inflation."

Accusing the Centre of favouring certain states with crores of rupees out of its discretionary fund, Modi questioned the norms adopted for distribution of funds and demanded that the list of beneficiary states be made public.

Modi has also raised questions on the slow growth rate achieved by the country in view of the global trend and said, "The slowdown is all because of the faulty policies of the government."

Modi said, "The government has a discretionary fund. They give package from this fund to whichever state they wish to. Therefore a White Paper should be presented about the norms for utilisation of these funds."

Modi said, "We want to know how much fund has been given to whom and what happened to the fund already given and where are the other funds."

He contested the prime minister's contention that global recessionary factors had led to a slowdown in the economy.

"Did growth slow down in Gujarat? We achieved the target as set by the Planning Commission. If there was recession, then Gujarat would have also suffered. The country is not progressing because of your own contradictions and confusions," he said.

Criticising the prime minister for the "political discourses" in his speech at the NDC, in which he stated that all states should work together for development once the elections are over, Modi asked whether central government departments followed this principle with different states.

On the PM's suggestion that states should also help the Centre, Modi retorted, "Is it only a one-way process?  Should it not be a two-way mechanism with the Centre also helping the state?"

Referring to the PM urging the Executive, Judiciary, Parliament and state legislatures to understand their due roles, Modi said, "I have asked whether he considers the governor a constitutional authority. If you consider that he is a constitutional authority, then you should accept your own suggestion."

Modi also took a dig at the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Committee, asking whether the NDC was more powerful or the NAC, as the NAC had written a letter defining the poverty line.

In an oblique reference to the recent spat between Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee and Home Minister P Chidambaram, Modi said, "We hear that chewing gum acts as an adhesive. But in your government, two departments come face to face because of chewing gum."