We’re for ‘socialist-type’ economic policy, says Prashant Bhushan

‘However, we will not be totally against private sector participation’

Prashant Bhushan, India Against Corruption (IAC), at the South India IAC all volunteer meet, in Bangalore. Photo: K. Murali Kumar.

India Against Corruption (IAC) member Prashant Bhushan on Saturday said that their political party would adopt a “socialist-type” economic policy, but would not be totally against private sector participation.

Responding to questions while interacting with the IAC volunteers from the southern States and the general public in Bangalore, he said their party wanted to give priority to the public sector, but would not be averse to private sector participation in certain areas in which there would be competition.

‘Won’t allow loot’

“[At] present, liberalisation is transferring the nation’s capital assets to the private sector in the guise of public-private-participation, which created private sector monopoly. We will not allow this kind of loot. We are not against free market, but will permit it in limited areas,” Mr. Bhushan said.

‘Crony capitalism’

He made it clear that mines and minerals, oil and natural gas, land, spectrum and other natural resources would be vested with the public sector. Airports and power would be nationalised, Mr. Bhushan said and alleged that the Union Cabinet was “a puppet of crony capitalism.”

Mr. Bhushan pointed out that the pre-liberalisation period was criticised for its “licence raj” and it witnessed scams like the Bofors wherein kickbacks of Rs. 64 crore were allegedly given. But the post-liberalisation period was witnessing scams running into crores of rupees, and this was due to “crony capitalism.”

He said their yet-to-be-named party would sit in the Opposition if not voted to power and would support any party that backs its policies and agenda, like the Jan Lokpal Bill. If voted to power, the party would on priority take up the responsibility of providing basic education and employment to the people, and health facilities apart from taking up anti-corruption measures, he added.

Checking migration

Another priority of their party would be to take steps to ensure that people in villages got all facilities and that they did not migrate to urban areas.

To a question on politics, caste and religion, Mr. Bhushan said it was time to save the country as no one would survive in caste and religion-based politics while pointing out that their political party would, if it succeeded in communicating this point to the people of the country.

Mr. Bhushan said State units of IAC were taking the campaign to the block levels and would identify local issues.