The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : Draw a line between politics and development, parties told

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Thursday, Sep 27, 2007
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

Draw a line between politics and development, parties told

Special Correspondent

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

recognition: Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Krishna (right) felicitating trade union leader Michael Fernandes at a function in Bangalore on Wednesday.

BANGALORE: Politics and trade unionism are fine as long as they work within their boundaries and achieve the social objective to ensure that benefits reach the people. If they overstep, they become obstacles in the way of development, especially in the globalised and liberalised economic situation, said Speaker of the Legislative Assembly Krishna.

Mr. Krishna felicitated two trade union leaders, K. Puttiah and Michael Fernandes, at function organised by the Karnataka Power Corporation Employees’ Union here on Wednesday. Mr. Krishna said ruling party and the Opposition should not compromise in the matters of development or scuttle each other’s efforts to empower the people economically and socially. But in the recent years, this was happening too often as the parties had been opposing for the “sake of opposing” which deprived society of many development works. He called upon the political parties to draw a line between politics and development.

Mr. Krishna said the same condition applied in the issues between the management and trade unions. By neglecting the interests and welfare of the workers, no management could hope to make profits in the industry or business. On the other hand, workers should extend meaningful cooperation to the management and find ways to co-exist without compromising on the basic principles of trade unionism.

Mr. Krishna also wanted environmental groups to see reason in demands of the economy. The country was finding it extremely difficult managing the power situation, at a time when the industry was in the high growth phase. He said that without an extraordinary growth the in power sector, there might not be any industrial growth. He quoted M. Visvesvaraya and said his words “ industrialise or perish” were literally coming true in the present context for India as every power industry which wanted to produce power was facing problems. He took the recent example of Chamalapura and Tadari power projects which had run into problems owing to pressure from environmental lobbies. Mr. Puttiah and Mr. Fernandes replied to the felicitations.

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