Left take cudgels with Chidambaram on reforms

New Delhi, Oct 1: The Left parties have rubbished the UPA government's appeal for providing ''political space'' for more economic reforms saying such right-wing reforms had widened the economic disparities and put the structural problems under the carpet.

Agriculture is in a crisis, farmers continue to commit suicide, over one lakh small industries had shut down leaving millions jobless and the cottage industry had been devastated.

Top leaders of the CPI, CPI(M) and Forward Bloc, however, welcomed the suggestion of some of the ministries to reduce FDI in the telcom sector from 74 to 49 per cent.

Exuding confidence over the prospects of a 7.5 to 8 per cent growth this year, Finance Minister P Chidambaram on Friday urged the coalition partners to provide ''political space'' for more economic reforms.

CPI Genenral Secretary A B Bardhan said the Left could not support the second generation economic reforms as the experience of 15 years had demonstrated these are not in favour of the masses.

''What Mr Chidambaram is talking about is nothing but economic new liberalisation.'' Mr Bardhan said even the weavers and other artisans are starving.

In Andhra Pradesh they had committed suicide, he added.

CPI National Secretary Shamim Faizi said the Left would continue to oppose all such pleadings as only yesterday it had been brought to notice that the budget and fiscal deficits were going out of control.

''Growth must lead to better quality of life of the people and it should not be measured with bogus indicator like the Index,'' the CPI leaders added.

On some departments favouring the reduction of FDI from 74 to 49 per cent in the telecom sector, the CPI leaders said it was ''welcome'' as the government, after so much adverse effect had finally realised the futility of unlimited FDI in a core sector like Telecom. ''The government should give further thought to reduce such FDI in sectors that have bearing on our national security,'' Mr Faizi said.

CPI(M) floor leaders in the Lok Sabha, Basudev Achariya and Salim Mohammad, said the Left could not agree to the government proposals seeking second generation reforms in financial sectors, banks, insurance and Pension Funds.

''From day one we have been displaying our apprehensions and reservation about the economic reforms as these have played havoc all over the world including our own country," the CPI(M) leaders said.

Mr Achariya and Mr Mohammad said the issue would be raised in the forthcoming UPA-Left Coordination Committeee meeting on October 4.

Besides the government should fix its national priorities whether it had to serve the interests of a few or all sections of society.

''It is beyond our comprehension that the government wants to speed up economic reforms instead of reviewing the experience of 15 years of economic reforms in the country.'' Forward Bloc National Secretary G Devrajan reminded how the Congress Chief Ministers Conclave in Nainital had expressed convern over the miserable plight of the farmers who contribute ''at least 25 per cent'' to the GDP.

''Why should Mr Chidambaram forget that the growing number of suicide by the farmers, weavers, the unemployed and the poor is the direct off shoot of the process of economic reforms.'' Referring to the Cabinet clearance of the Rs 16,978,69 crore for rehabilitaiton package for farmers in the predominantly suicide-prone districts of Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Kerala, Maharashtra, the Forward Bloc leader said the package would prove another ''paper tiger.'' Commercial banks will have to come forward to help the farming community, he added.

UNI