The Hindu : Karnataka / Bangalore News : ‘SEZs are modern versions of East India company’

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Saturday, Jan 26, 2008
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Karnataka

Karnataka - Bangalore

‘SEZs are modern versions of East India company’

Special Correspondent

— Photo: V. Sreenivasa Murthy

Against SEZs: (From left) Sri Shivanubhava Charamurthy Shivarudra Mahaswamiji of Beli Math; former Lokayukta N. Venkatachala; MLC Mukhyamantri Chandru; and MLC Nadagowda at the inauguration of Ramakrishna Hegde Rashtriya Chintana Vedike, in Bangalore on Friday .

BANGALORE: Shivanubhava Charamurthy Shivarudra Mahaswamiji of Beli Math on Saturday described Special Economic Zones as a modern version of the East India Company which came to India for trading, but ultimately subjected the country to colonial rule.

Participating at a function organised in Bangalore to inaugurate the Ramakrishna Hegde Rashtriya Chintana Vedike, the swamiji said the SEZs would also start dictating terms to people and the political establishment in the course of time. He stressed the need for protecting the interests of farmers. He also expressed concern over the present system of education that did not give much importance to developing social concern among children.

Hegde remembered

Speaking on the occasion, Bharatiya Janata Party MLC Mukhyamantri Chandru hailed former Chief Minister Ramakrishna Hegde for his effort to reform the political system. “While Mr. Hegde believed in value-based politics, today’s politicians believe in money-based politics,” he said. Mr. Chandru, who shot to fame after playing the role of chief minister in a play and film, said: “Now I feel that I have not done justice to my role (as CM) as I could not depict even 5 per cent of what the real chief ministers do in politics.” He recalled how Mr. Hegde had surprised him by asking him, an actor and a serving clerk in Bangalore University, to take the plunge into politics by offering him a ticket to contest the polls.

Trade union leader Michael Fernandes maintained that it was Mr. Hegde who had mooted the concept of bringing down the age limit for exercising franchise from 21 to 18 years. Though the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi actually reduced the age limit, the credit should still go to Mr. Hegde, he said.

Mr. Hegde’s son Bharat Hegde and daughters, Mamatha and Samatha, were also present. Dr. Ramana Rao, a consulting physician and cardiologist, was honoured on the occasion for his service to society.

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