The Hindu : NDA Govt. policies must change, says Yechury

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Nov 11, 2002

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National

NDA Govt. policies must change, says Yechury

By Our Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR NOV. 10. The CPI(M) leader and Politburo member, Sitaram Yechury, has stressed the need to force changes in the policies being implemented by the BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre, to save the country from the dangers of communalism and colonialism. The country's unity and integrity were being threatened by communal forces, he said.

Delivering a talk on the ``Present Political and Economic Conditions — CPI(M) Approach'' organised by the district unit of the party here today, he observed that a change in the policies of the Government or a change of Government itself had become imperative to save the country from falling a prey to colonialism and communalism.

He accused the BJP and its frontal organisations — the VHP, the RSS and the Bajrang Dal — of conspiring for `Modi'fication of India by creating Narendra Modis everywhere for political gains. Mr. Modi had taken up the `Gaurav Yatra' to commemorate the Gujarat incidents, he alleged.

Mr. Yechury observed that the outcome of the coming Assembly elections in Gujarat would have serious implications for the country. The results would also have an impact on the next year's Assembly elections in 10 States and general elections a year later.

It was the responsibility of the Congress, the main Opposition party in Gujarat, to ensure a one-to-one contest to defeat the BJP. Any polarisation among the secular voters could prove advantageous to the BJP, he warned. He, however, predicted that the BJP would lose the elections there.

The inflammatory speeches of the BJP leaders, in an effort to sharpen the communal polarisation, was an indication of their fear of a drubbing at the hustings, Mr. Yechury said.

The last three years' of NDA rule had thrown the country into a crisis in all sectors, the CPI(M) leader said. Two-thirds of the country's GDP was being spent on repaying interest (Rs. 1.5 lakh crores) on the external debt (Rs. 16 lakh crores) every year, he said. The repayment was being done at the cost of spending on vital sectors such as education, health, and public distribution and through a hike in indirect taxes.

Instead of improving the purchasing power of the common man, increasing the domestic market and in turn helping the industry grow, the Central Government's policies were retrograde. The Government was planning to accept the Kelkar Committee recommendations, giving hefty tax concessions to corporate houses, multinational companies and the rich. He suggested a hike in public spending and revenue mobilisation.

For the first time after independence, the country's growth rate in foodgrains production had dropped below the population growth rate.

It was an indication of a severe crisis in the future, he said. Stagnation in industrial sector, coupled with retrenchment in the public sector, was worsening the unemployment problem, he said.

Mr. Yechury wanted the Centre to supply 6 crore tonnes of foodgrains stored in the godowns free of cost to the poor, to prevent starvation deaths. He said the Government must abandon its plans to dispose of the grains in foreign markets.

He also alleged large-scale corruption in the disinvestment of public sector undertakings. He said the Government was disposing of public assets at throw away prices, helping the BJP leaders benefit from it in the process.

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