The Hindu : National : Bardhan: bad days ahead if our reservations are ignored

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Monday, Feb 07, 2005

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Bardhan: bad days ahead if our reservations are ignored

By Our Staff Reporter

NALGONDA (ANDHRA PRADESH), FEB. 6. The United Progressive Alliance Government will not last for five years if it does not go by the Common Minimum Programme , the national secretary of the Communist Party of India, A. B. Bardhan, has said.

Criticising the Central Government's economic polices, he told the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi, to take note of the Left parties' reservations and advise the Government "to mend its ways."

"If you ignore our reservations, bad days are ahead for the Government. Since you are the chairperson of the UPA Government, you must tell them [to take note of Communists]. You are pleasing none," he said, while addressing the inaugural session of the CPI Andhra Pradesh unit's 22nd State conference. He also said that the Left was supporting the Government "out of political necessity."

Likening the Bharatiya Janata Party to the Congress in pursuing economic reforms, Mr. Bardhan said: "One is Krishnadas and another is Ramdas. However, the Congress claims that it is giving a human face to the reforms. It has not responded to the question as to what the human face is going to be like."

Expressing serious reservations on allowing 74 per cent foreign direct investment in vital sectors such as telecom, Mr. Bardhan said that the Left would fight against the issue inside and outside Parliament. No country had developed on the basis of FDI.

"They bring in China when it comes to the FDI issue. But let us not forget that China developed internal resources [before accepting FDIs]." he said. "They [the Government] are determined to go ahead to allow foreign banks to take over Indian private banks. If this comes true, what will happen to our farmers and small scale businessmen?" He added that bank employees were planning to organise a rally in New Delhi on March 11 against such a move. "We are here to articulate the demands of agricultural workers, industrial workers, the poor, the unemployed and students. People's movement is a pre-condition to wake up the Government."

Mr. Bardhan said that some Cabinet members "were hiding their faces" when he asked them about the rationale behind the move.

"They asked me to pose this question to Chidambaram, Montek Singh Ahluwalia and the Prime Minister."

Recalling the historical armed struggle of the Telangana peasants led by the united Communist Party, Mr. Bardhan said that there was a need for a merger of the Communist parties to ensure the "next democratic revolution" in the country. The merger was necessary to wage a long battle against the BJP which, according to him, was a "big challenge."

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