CPI(M) not for Chinese model in India : Karat

Kolkata, Sep 14 (UNI) Trying to project a different image of the CPI(M) to industrialists, party General Secretary Prakash Karat today said his organisation did not want to blindly replicate the model of China in all aspects and it was committed to the multi-party system of democracy.

''My party does not blindly imitate China or any other country.

We are committed to our multi-party system. As you do not want we also do not want the single party system prevailing in China,'' he said assuring captains of industries during an interaction with FICCI eastern region members on 'agenda for inclusive growth'.

Mr Karat, who was replying to various questions of FICCI members, said his party did not want "many things that China is doing".

He, however, earlier said in his address that India and China had great economic potential and both countries would come to the forefront of paving resurgence of Asia.

Seeking to dispel popular perception about his party's stand on industry and economy, Mr Karat said neither did the CPI(M) consider the Public Sector Undertakings like a 'holy cow' and was opposed to privatisation per se nor was it against development.

''The public sector as a whole is not a holy cow to us. We do not want many of the loss making PSUs to be retained. But we have put profit making and loss making PSUs in different categories and want privatisation of those which can never be revived,'' he said.

He pointed out that the CPI(M)-led Left Front Government in West Bengal had initiated privatisation of a number of state-owned companies which had been perennially sick and the party wanted the Centre to do the same thing. ''But certainly we do not want disinvestment of the profit making PSUs,'' he said.

While agreeing with FICCI Eastern Region President C K Dhanuka that the manufacturing sector needed a boost for higher GDP growth, the CPI(M) General Secretary said public sector investment in agriculture was essential for a sustainable economic prosperity.

Stressing that agriculture, employment, social justice and regional divide were the essential aspects, Mr.Karat observed that an inclusive and sustained growth was not possible unless the government addressed the problems pertaining to these areas.

''When the left parties raise these questions, it is posed that we are against development,'' he said.

Citing that thousands of farmers had committed suicide across the country over the past few years, Mr.Karat emphaised that an increase in public sector investment in agriculture was a must and the UPA Government should seriously purusue with its commitment in the Common Minimum Programme(CMP) in this regard.

''The roots of agrarian crisis have not been understood by the Centre and state governments, but it is time that an emphasis is made on increasing public sector investment in agriculture, which has recorded a steady decline over the past few years,'' he said.

UNI KDG PL RN1722