CHENNAI: Political parties including the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK), the Communist Party of India (Marxist) and the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (MDMK) on Friday criticised the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government's decision to disinvest 10 per cent of government shares in the Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) and the National Aluminium Company Ltd (NALCO).

In a statement here, PMK founder S. Ramadoss said the Government should strictly adhere to the basic policy that shares of the profit-earning public sector units would not be disinvested. The Government should not assume that the policy applied only to the `Navaratnas.' The party would stress this point at the next session of Parliament, he said.

Though it had been stated that the proposed disinvestment of shares in the NLC would fetch revenue to the tune of Rs.1107 crore, it should not be forgotten that the public sector unit had earned a profit of Rs.702 crore in 2005-2006, he said. The UPA Government should not proceed with the implementation of the decision, he said, calling for a review.

State CPI (M) secretary N. Varadarajan said his party condemned the decision on disinvestment. Denying reports that the Left had supported the move, he said people were aware of the Left parties' strong opposition to attempts at privatising the public sector enterprises.

The decision on disinvestment amounted to departure from the National Common Minimum Programme, he said, adding that the move only betrayed lack of will on the part of the Government to mobilise resources by implementing suggestions made by the CPI(M) such as plugging tax-evasion.

MDMK Vaiko general secretary recalled attempts by the Centre since the days of the National Democratic Alliance rule to disinvest shares in the NLC.

Contrary to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's assurance in Neyveli on February 4 that the NLC's shares would not be disinvested, the Centre decided to disinvest 10 per cent of government shares. He accused the Union Ministers belonging to the DMK of going against the interests of the State and thousands of workers by supporting the move in the Cabinet.

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