Government should take tough decisions even if they upset people, Sharad Pawar says

NEW DELHI:  The UPA government made a mistake by changing the NDA decision of linking petrol prices with fluctuations in international crude prices, agriculture minister and NCP chief Sharad Pawar has said. 


Pawar also said the government should take tough decisions in the larger national interest even if it upsets people. 


"Vajpayee Cabinet had linked petrol prices with changes in the international crude prices. We made a mistake by changing this decision. I had opposed the change. "Government should make tough decisions in the larger national interests even if it upsets the people. One has to swallow a bitter pill to get cured. We did not make some decisions at the right time and price rise is an ill-effect of that," Pawar told IBN-Lokmat channel. 


He said difficult decisions should be made and an atmosphere for investment should be created. 


On Anna Hazare with whom he does not have good relations, Pawar said, "if you think I have done something wrong, file an FIR against me, drag me to court. Do you believe in our judiciary?" 


Asked about his meeting with Ramdev, the Union minister said as a minister, he should meet chiefs of social organisations and the yoga guru had sought appointment with him. 


"But I did not agree with his opinion that FDI is blackmoney. I agreed with Ramdev that we need a rational approach for changing the tax regime. If the blackmoney is brought back, it can be used to solve problems of poor farmers and Dalits," he said. 


To a question on the Maharashtra chief minister, he said Prithviraj Chavan has spent his entire life in Delhi. 


He visited various places as a party in-charge. Visiting field with a responsibility is a different thing, he said.