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New Delhi: In a sharp reaction to the Planning Commission comments today on BPL criteria, BJP today accused the government of having lost touch with ground realities and is more focused on setting its parameters in a manner which would help it meet Millennium Development Goals.Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi, in an interaction with the media, alleged the government is trying to connect poverty with caste by insisting that it will wait for the census results and then fix the criteria."The Planning Commission affidavit in the Supreme Court on the Rs 32 for urban and Rs 26 for rural income of a person per day criteria for BPL is a shocking. Even a person with no intelligence would say it is non-sense," Joshi said.He took a dig at Planning Commission Deputy Chairperson Montek Singh Ahluwalia, saying he has every right to be confused but has no right to confuse the people and the Supreme Court."Ahluwalia says this criteria is not for giving benefits to the BPL. Then for whose benefit is it? Is destitution and poverty the same? Why is there BPL and where? He says this is not for universal application. He is totally and utterly confused," Joshi said.He charged the Planning Commission was undertaking this exercise to the meet Milleninum Development Goals which states that poverty level should be brought down to 50 percent.He alleged "saving" Ahluwalia and P Chidambaram in connection with 2G spectrum scam seems to be a bigger priority for this government than the country."The Prime Minister has no control. The earlier this government frees us from its yoke the better," Joshi said.
