Ahmadinejad accuses critics of “insulting” the nation
Published: Thursday, November 20, 2008
00:12GMT—7:12PM/EST
SUBSIDIES – AHMADINEJAD – RAFSANJANI – POVERTY-FOSTERING
Washington, 19 November (IranVNC)—President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, who is on a second round of provincial tours with his cabinet, in an address today in the province Zanjan, slammed one of the more prominent critics of his economic policies. By using the exact words previously used by Expediency Council Ayatollah Akbar Hashemi-Rafsanjani, to criticize the economic policies of the government, Ahmadinejad left little doubt about whom he was addressing.
Addressing a crowd of local inhabitants in the provincial capital of Zanjan, Ahmadinejad reacted to Rafsanjani’s criticism of the government’s economic reform plan - specifically regarding subsidies - by describing him as an elitist who was “distancing himself from the nation,” and “insulting the nation” by defending the wealthy minority to the detriment of the majority.
During the second International Symposium of Iran, on Sunday [16 November] Rafsanjani had referred to Ahmadinejad’s policy of targeted subsidies and criticized his government for policies that were “poverty-fostering” and “alms-fostering”.
“Poverty-fostering will not produce results when one is trying to build up the country’s economy, and we must take important and essential steps in the field of production.”
According to Iran’s official news agency, IRNA, on Wednesday in Zanjan, Ahmadinejad said: “Some are unhappy about efforts undertaken based on the principle of justice and say if the subsidies are targeted and is distributed justly, instead of being given to a minority, this is ‘poverty-fostering’.”
But, he added: “Wouldn’t it be ‘poverty-fostering’, precisely if these subsidies were eaten up by a few, like you, whose pockets are full, bellies are full, and whose wealth is immeasurable. Is it only ‘poverty-fostering’ if [these subsidies] are distributed among the people?”
Without mentioning Rafsanjani’s name, Ahmadinejad said to him: “You have distanced yourself from the nation. You think the nation is just you, your families, your party-members and entourage. Come here and have a look -these people are the nation; people on the streets and squares of Zanjan and the rest of the country, who are always ready to devote themselves to the cause of the revolution and the building of the country.”
Ahmadinejad continued: “I address them [critics] saying that targeting subsidies is the very core of justice. Do not insult the nation.”
Ahmadinejad next went on to emphasize: “We are determined to distribute the subsidies, 70 percent of which are today being consumed by less than thirty-percent, more fairly among the majority of the people. In our view, this is the meaning of justice.”
Source: IRNA news agency
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(Original article written in Persian.)