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Vajpayee defends divestment policy
Thursday, 03 October 2002, 19:30 IST
NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee Wednesday strongly defended the government's disinvestment policy, holding that its critics did not have the country's interests at heart.
"Nobody can buy India. India is not so cheap. Those who are under some misapprehension about the process do not know the facts and do not have the interests of the country at heart," Vajpayee said at the launch of "Labor News", a magazine published by the labor ministry.
His strong statement came even as cabinet colleagues Murli Manohar Joshi, George Fernandes and Ram Naik - said to be opposed to the strategic sale of public sector units especially in the oil sector - met to discuss the issue.
The policy has led to differences within the ruling National Democratic Alliance and with the Bharatiya Janata Party's ideological mentor Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).
The prime minister, however, sought to downplay any major differences within the government on the disinvestment issue. "It is not necessary that we should all agree on every issue. Differences of opinion are natural between intelligent people."
Vajpayee criticized the media for blowing out of proportion the different shades of opinion within the government on disinvestments. Too much was being read into what different ministers were saying, he held.
Asserting that the divestment process so far had been satisfactory, Vajpayee came down heavily on remarks about "selling out" through disinvestments.
"What do they mean by (levelling accusations of) selling the country? What do we do with companies that have been running up losses for years and continue to do so?
"Industry needs privatization. It is necessary to improve the condition of labor," he added.
Vajpayee lashed out against the "anti-forms wave" being spread in the country.
"Those who (formulated) the divestment policy were, after all, elected representatives of the people." He pointed out that while the policy was initiated during the rule of the Congress party in the early 1990s, suitable modifications had been made along the way.
He remarked: "If there are objections, no policy is unchangeable. There is a scope for debate and review. But to dismiss it as a failure even before such a debate is not proper."
At another function, RSS leader K.S. Sudarshan said divestment was inimical to India's indigenous economy. "The policy of divestment has brought India to the crossroads and led to a confrontation.
"But swadeshi (indigenous) economy is closer to the heart of India and better for the welfare of people," he held.
The statements came on a day of hectic consultations that earlier saw Disinvestment Minister Arun Shourie putting the ball in the court of the prime minister and Deputy Prime Minister L.K. Advani.
"Everything depends on the prime minister and deputy prime minister. I am confident that they feel satisfied as far as the arguments (of my ministry) are concerned," Shourie told reporters.
Source: IANS
Source: IANS