Citizens for Democracy (CFD) has welcomed the Union government’s decision to stay out of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) and said that it was time for the government to overhaul the neo-liberal economic policies implemented in 1991.
Addressing presspersons here on Tuesday, CFD national president S.R. Hiremath said that the government decision pertaining to RCEP was the victory for the people’s movement.
“It is heartening that the Union government, which has been functioning in highly autocratic ways, succumbed to the widespread opposition and pressure by farmers, civil society organisations and others. The provisions of this 16 nation free trade agreement would have caused a serious threat to the livelihoods of farmers, and especially those from weaker sections who are engaged in dairy farming on smaller scales,” he said.
Mr. Hiremath stated that it was time to reassess the corporate centric economic policies implemented in 1991 and take corrective measures to safeguard the interests of the common people. The agrarian crisis and incidents of farmer’s suicides have been reported in high numbers after 1991 and new economic policies and previous trade agreements for which India became signatory have to be blamed for this. It is a pity that the people of the country are kept in dark whenever the proposals to sign the international trade agreements are mooted. Even in case of RCEP, people were not provided proper information and no serious debate took place in Parliament, he said.
The CFD and other like-minded organisations would urge the Parliament members to move towards more people-centric development approach, he said. Mr. Hiremath has also welcomed the High Court’s order that has set aside the special court’s order absolving former Minister G. Janardhan Reddy of criminal breach of trust. He has also welcome the State government’s decision to give CBI the permission to prosecute former Minister D.K. Shivakumar invoking among others, the Prevention of Corruption Act, 1988.
