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Left critical of two years of UPA Rule |
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The Left parties which provide the crucial outside support keeping the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance in power, have criticised the Government on its second anniversary for its pro-US foreign policy and the economic policy based on privatisation. In a statement to mark the second anniversary of the UPA, the Left parties said the recent crash in the stock markets and market volatility emphasised the danger of going in for full capital account convertibility. They criticised the Government’s refusal to impose long-term capital gains tax which, they said, could raise additional resources by the government to finance its social sector and development expenditure.
The statement said the UPA Government has shown eagerness to push through policies in the interest of foreign capital and big business while it has been slow in taking up pro-people measures in the Common Minimum Programme.
The Left said the UPA is pursuing a foreign policy which is not in accordance with the commitment made in the Common Minimum Programme for an independent foreign policy. The Left parties said the Indo-US strategic partnership entered into during the Prime Minister’s visit to the United States in July 2005 is a serious concern. They said defence cooperation with the United States is increasingly aligning India as a strategic partner of the US in Asia.
In the Rajya Sabha, the Left parties joined hands with the BJP on May 23 to caution against opening up the retail sector for foreign direct investment (FDI) without putting safeguards in place. BJP leader Murli Manmohar Joshi expressed concern over possible job losses because of FDI in retail. Sitaram Yechury of the CPI(M) said that the opening of the retail sector would go against the common minimum programme.
Meanwhile, the Left parties have been speaking in different voices about airport modernisation. While Sitaram Yechury has written to the Prime Minister giving expression to the Left’s stance against airport privatisation, West Bengal’s Commerce and Industry Ministry Nirupam Sen said that modernisation of Netaji Subhash Chandra airport in Kolkata takes priority over political differences with the UPA Government. He said, “We have told the Centre that modernisation should be done by the Airports Authority of India, but if they do not listen to us, we will have to accept the alternative.”
Another confrontation between the UPA Government and the Left parties is in the offing on the disinvestment and petroleum price hike issues. The Government is planning to sell a small stake in National Aluminum and Neyveli Lignite Corporation. The CPI(M) has opposed the move.
Petroleum Minister Murli Deora has been speaking of a small increase in petrol and diesel prices. This has also been opposed by the Left.
CPI(M)’s concern over US offer on anti-Naxal operations
The CPI(M) has expressed concern over the Chhattisgarh government welcoming a US offer to help in anti-Naxal operations. It has asked the Centre to warn the state government to desist from such a move. The CPI(M) politburo in a statement on May 26 said, “The US has no business in involving itself in internal security and law and order issues. The attitude of the BJP state government is condemnable as no state Government has the right to involve foreign countries in internal security matters.
Left leaders attend UPA dinner
Left leaders stayed away from the official function to celebrate two years of the UPA Government, but joined the UPA at the dinner which followed the event. Congress president Sonia Gandhi shared a meal with the Left leaders while Prime Minister Manmohan Singh dined with Alliance leaders and former Prime Minister V.P. Singh.
The Prime Minister hosted a dinner for the UPA allies and MPs after the function. But he and Sonia Gandhi chose different tables. While CPI(M) leader Prakash Karat and Brinda Karat, DMK’s Dayanidhi Maran and a few others dined with the UPA chairperson, V.P. Singh, RJD supremo Lalu Yadav, CPI leaders A.B. Bardhan and D. Raja and Home Minister Shivraj Patil shared the table with the Prime Minister.
LJP leader Ram Vilas Paswan and CPI(M)’s Sitaram Yechury were with Sonia Gandhi. Barring the MDMK, the rest of the UPA allies attended the function.
“The MDMK was not invited,” UPA sources later made it clear. This was obvious after its leader Vaiko joined hands with the AIADMK in the recently-held Tamil Nadu Assembly elections.
Telangana Rashtra Samiti chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao came at the last minute. A special seat was arranged for him on the dais. He is reportedly unhappy with the UPA government for the delay in the creation of a separate Telangana state.
K. Natwar Singh, who quit as External Affairs Minister in the wake of the Volcker controversy was present, but remained a back-bencher.
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