New Delhi, Jan. 25: The Congress closed ranks with its NCP ally and downplayed agriculture minister Sharad Pawar’s remark on the "Cabinet’s collective responsibility to check food prices" to stop the BJP fishing in troubled waters.
Sources said the BJP, which asked Mr Pawar to resign, was trying to derive mileage from attacks on Mr Pawar by various parties — including some Congress leaders — on the price rise, and the party did not want things to snowball into a direct confrontation with a key ally.
Mr Pawar, who said on Sunday that he alone in the council of ministers was not responsible for rising prices, on Monday denied attacking PM Manmohan Singh. AICC media department chief Janardan Dwivedi said Monday: "Pawar just reiterated the constitutional position. It is the collective responsibility of the Centre and state governments to take steps to check food prices."
Congress sources said though the party was concerned over the issue, targeting the NCP chief would not help in finding a solution. It would also have sent a wrong signal to other UPA allies such as the DMK and the Trinamul Congress, they added.
Congress spokesperson Shakeel Ahmed said checking hoarding and black-marketing of foodgrain was the responsibility of state governments and a 23 per cent fall in rainfall last year did bring down food production. "Every state government should act against hoarding, whether it is Congress or BJP ruled," Mr Ahmed said. The BJP said earlier Mr Pawar was "making a mess" of India’s food economy.
Amit Agnihotri