patna much like the oppositions reaction to the first round of economic reforms or opening up of the countrys economy unleashed by manmohan singh two decades ago as the countrys finance minister the oppositions response to his address to the nation delivered on friday after the announcement of a slew of reforms has been sharp jd u spokesman neeraj kumar said pm manmohan singh initiated reforms as the countrys finance minister two decades ago now he must also own responsibility for the economic crisis facing the country since he has been at the helm of affairs of the country for the last eight years as pm what hard decisions he is talking about the new reforms will enslave the country also destroy local small retail business and farm economy he took into confidence neither the parliament nor the upa allies to say nothing of the nda the congress has become autocratic scared of bharat bandh and peoples rage pm took to making an address to the nation cpi state secretary rajendra singh was dismissive about the perceived benefits of the 1991 economic reforms and now even about the new reforms the opening of the economy benefited only the big business they got hefty tax exemption the poor and needy have continued to suffer but the rich and resourceful have reaped all benefits singh said however state bjp chief and rajya sabha member dr c p thakur was circumspect i hailed technological vision of former pm rajiv gandhi and also the telecom revolution i also upheld economic reforms introduced by manmohan singh as the countrys finance minister the difference between the old and new reforms is that money made as profits by the companies earlier remained within the country but now it will go out through foreign companies in retail business besides people are angry over hike in diesel price and removal of subsidy on lpg cylinders however the congress and other upa constituents are of the view that the opposition would be proved wrong in public estimation after six months or so when the reforms impact would be visible reforms will help tide over the present economic crisis said rjd dalit cell president and former minister suresh paswan adding pm was clear down to earth and very convincing in his address to the nation