Bush blames India for rise in food prices, receives flak

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The Communist Party leaders were less charitable in their views. Communist Party of India (Marxist) or CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat said Bush's "insensible remarks about India's prosperity affecting global food prices are adding insult to injury." He said the US policy of subsidizing and promoting biofuel out of crops was the major reason for the shortages and spurt in food prices. "This is what President Bush has sought to cover up."

"It is preposterous for anyone to say that global food crisis, including the crisis in America, is because Indians are eating more. It is needless to say what the Indians get to eat or what they (Americans) eat. This only shows how he has lost his senses," said West Bengal's Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, adding that Bush's remark was nothing more than a "cruel joke."

The CPI(M) leader said that Bush has lost his mind since his downfall is round the corner. "It is rather the policies of the USA which are primarily responsible for the food scarcity across the world," he added.

Wondering whether Bush wanted Indians to suffer hunger, CPI National Secretary D. Raja blamed US policies for all major crises facing the world, particularly in energy and food sectors.

"The Bush Administration is trying to cover up its own fault by shifting the blame to developing countries. It is the US which has shifted agricultural production from foodgrains to bio-fuel, thereby creating food crisis and pushing up the prices," he said.

Raja described Bush's comment as "a kind of racial statement" which blames India and China for heightened demand.

The CPI leader said India grew its own food and did not "exploit other nations like US imperialism."

Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party or BJP also did not lose opportunity to criticize Bush or the Indian government.

While BJP leader V.K. Malhotra questioned whether Bush wanted Indians to "die of hunger," senior party leader Murli Manohar Joshi said Bush is speaking out of ignorance and that he is not aware of the current agricultural situation in India and the fact that there are many people who still cannot manage two square meals a day.

"BJP feels that his (Bush's) statement is not acceptable and that he is speaking out of ignorance. But if he is speaking knowingly, then it is totally condemnable," Joshi said.

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