Opinion - Letters to the Editor   

Renewed socialism

The article "Needed, a renewed socialist concern" (Feb. 5) presents a graphic picture of the past, an incisive analysis of the present, and shows the direction for the future. Our economic planners can take pride on the number of Indians in the list of the world's billionaires, whom they stand for. But they should hang their heads in shame for having the largest number of poor in the country. They do not seem to have the slightest hesitation in toeing the line of capitalism and burying the philosophy of socialism fathoms deep.

There is no point in rejoicing over an economic growth to which the poor and the downtrodden have no access. Let us renew a socialist order giving preference to the needs of the have-nots.

It was indeed a pleasure to read the article. I agree that globalisation and reforms in India are not in line with our socialist ideals. Making the rich and other countries richer is not our duty. We should be focussing on development leading to economic equality.

At the same time, I believe we should not abolish the existing system. We should utilise judiciously what we earn from our capitalist thinking and channel it through a socialist model.

We should respond to the call for renewing the socialist concern on a war-footing. Our economic policies designed to favour the rich, corporate sections need to be reoriented with the main emphasis on providing resources for education, employment and healthcare to all.

V.R. Krishna Iyer brings out the fallacy of the Indian economy, which leaves the hiatus between the haves and the have-nots wider and sharper.

India is not a poor country but a country of several million poor who live below the poverty line. We have forgotten the ideals of Gandhi and Nehru. The younger generation is encouraged to live a foreignaddicted life.

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