After bitter April, Left sugarcoats May report card

In fact, when compared with the strong politicial resolutions passed at the CPM’s April party congresss in New Delhi, the four-page politburo assessment presents a much softer and friendlier picture.

Consider these:

• Privatisation: System to blame

April resolution: The UPA is pursuing the same policies of liberalisation and privatisation. Notwithstanding certain policy announcements in the CMP, the government is unwilling to change course and, in essence, pursues the same policies as that of the Vajpayee government.

May report card: The UPA is not sufficiently concerned about the need to distance itself from the discredited policies of the past. There is an entrenched system of thought and personnel that believe neo-liberal reforms are the way to take the country forward.

(This is much more indirect criticism which actually blames the bureaucracy for carrying forward the BJP’s policies)

• Foreign policy: Commendable steps

April resolution: The CPI(M) will endeavour to see that the harmful legacy of the Vajpayee government’s foreign policy is removed…To promote multipolarity in international relations, India should have close ties with Russia, China, Europe and Japan.

May report card: In the foreign policy sphere, the UPA has taken commendable steps to further dialogue with Pakistan and intitiate confidence-building measures and promote people-to-people contact. The visit of Wen Jiabo has led to upgrading of relations. India is taking some steps to develop the trilateral cooperation between India, China and Russia.

• Education: Detox on

April resolution: Much more needs to be done to undo the damage caused by BJP-RSS interference in education.

May report card: The government has taken some steps to detoxify the educational and research institutions and restore the history textbooks scrapped by the BJP-led government.

• Minorities: More secure

April resolution: The party is for special measures to provide education and access to jobs for the Muslim minorities.

May report card: In the changed political situation, the minorities feel more secure.

Here are some other observations made by the politburo in its May report card, which should spread smiles among the UPA leadership:

• The UPA government has undertaken certain steps which are necessary to strengthen democratic rights.

• It has abolished POTA and adopted the Right to Information Act.

• There has been some increase in social sector expenditure though it falls far short of the requirements.

• There has been an expansion of the mid-day meal programme and the anganwadi workers programme.

The report card also blames the BJP boycott for not allowing the Parliament to take up the Rural Employment Guarantee Bill.

The appraisal, however, has raised all critical issues concerning the Left’s differences with the UPA. The report card points at the refusal to review the Electricity Act, 2003 and the inability to look beyond FDI in certain crucial sectors. It highlights that not much has been done for poor farmers and also says the Food for Work programme initiated in November 2004 needs to be monitored. As it had done earlier at the party congress, the report card has threatened to take these issues to the people.

But then, the ‘‘hopeful’’ tone struck by Karat at the press conference today would offset any major worries in the UPA camp.‘‘They (the poor people of this country) are still hopeful that this government will deliver,’’ said Karat.