New Delhi: Former Vice President Venkaiah Naidu questioned US President Donald Trump for “forcing the US-Iran war”, while stating that it was causing immense hardship to Indians with the rising fuel prices.
“I don’t know why the American president forced this war and then this is causing so much difficulty to the people. The prices of petrol, diesel, the way they are rising and all, even the gas, because of the war situation there. They are fighting a war and we are being affected by it,” said Naidu at the launch of Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan’s book, ‘Apnapan: My Experiences With Narendra Modi’, Tuesday in New Delhi.
Chouhan’s book is a detailed account of his personal memories and professional journey alongside Prime Minister Narendra Modi over nearly three decades.
“India is moving, moving faster as I told you. Shri Narendra bhai Modi is taking care of various aspects of the country’s development (India moving ahead). There are certain occasions when there are some crises as veteran politician Deve Gowda ji has rightly said. This is a war, this is an unwanted war, of course. I don’t know why the American president forced this war and then this is causing so much difficulty to people,” Venkaiah Naidu said.
Naidu also said that “people should understand what is happening and then the reason for the hike (fuel price)… rather than just making political comments against each other”.
The West Asia war has now been continuing for more than three months and has led to disruption in fuel coming through the Strait of Hormuz. India imports roughly 2.5 to 2.7 million barrels of crude oil per day through the Strait of Hormuz, accounting for nearly 40 to 50 percent of its total crude imports.
Naidu also came down heavily on the ‘freebie culture’ and said he was completely against it. Praising Chouhan, Naidu said, “You have given certain benchmarks in public life, in administration” and went on to say that people in politics should study his life and study what he has done for Madhya Pradesh.
“But some politicians are now going for freebies, everything free… free bus for women… women never demanded free bus rides. (There are) so many things (but) I don’t want to go into details. So many things are being promised—500 units of free electricity, some of them even offered gold. They promised (all this) without knowing the financial position of that respective state,” he added.
Tamilaga Vettri Kazhagam (TVK) chief and actor Vijay, while unveiling his party’s election manifesto, had promised Rs 2,500 monthly assistance for women and 8 gm gold and a silk saree for every bride from families with annual income below Rs 5 lakh.
“My advice to all politicians is, without any such popular free scheme, Shivraj Singh could be CM for 17 years. So please note this, try to work hard and try to focus. I am against freebies and I have no hesitation to say it. I am totally against freebies but I am ready for two freebies—education and health of the common people. If you can give something free in these two areas then I have no problem,” Venkaiah Naidu added.
He also had a word of advice for political parties making such promises. “(Regarding) political parties making promise(s), I would like to state this from this stage where veteran politician Gowda ji is here and Shivraj ji is here and a number of chief ministers and central ministers and party functionaries are sitting here: Before making a promise you must understand what is the financial status of the state,” Venkaiah Naidu said.
He further suggested that political parties should be given a mandate that if they are promising freebies they must back it with economic viability of the state’s budget. He urged political parties to be cautious.
Veteran politician and former Prime Minister of India Deve Gowda, while showering praises on PM Modi said, while many are targeting the government over the fuel hike, they seem to have forgotten what happened in 1971 during the formation of Bangladesh.
“He’s (Modi) the only man in this country where the population is more than 145 crore to run the country with all the confidence of the people of this country… He’s the only leader who can take this country forward. The world has got so many problems, our other friends are making comments on petrol and diesel, but have forgotten what happened when the Bangladesh war took place. At that time, Madam Gandhi made a statement in Nagpur to curb consumption. If you take coffee twice a day, you sacrifice one coffee, sacrifice your food once weekly so that we can manage. At the time, kerosene was Rs 13-15 per litre, sugar Rs 17-18. That was the effect of a small conflict between Pakistan and India to create Bangladesh as an individual state,” said Gowda.
“At that time Madam Gandhi would (say) sacrifice coffee, tea, food, so many things… But they are making so much noise about the PM (now). This is how our other friends want to destabilise the strong leadership of Modi-ji,” he said as he highlighted the “strong” connection Chouhan enjoyed with PM Modi.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: After 4 rounds of fuel price hike, oil marketing companies still ‘losing around Rs 600 cr each day’
Shivraj was first person to start freebies 😃😃
Also , deve gowda’s son raped 10000 women & has their videos.
Mr Naidu spoke about principles in public life.