The BJP on Sunday joined issue with Marxist veteran Jyoti Basu’s statement on the inevitability of capitalism. Party spokesperson Ravishanker Prasad sought to know if CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat and senior leader Sitaram Yechury agreed with the view expressed by Basu. Basu on Saturday stated that though socialism was party’s goal, it was not possible and capitalism was necessary for industrialisation of the state.Responding to the statement, Prasad said: “The curious metamorphosis of an ardent Marxist like Jyoti Basu to a benign supporter of capitalism reiterates once again that Marxists have never been able to understand India. India has grown because of the entrepreneurial abilities of its people which the Marxists tried to suppress. Now that a senior leader like Basu is accepting that mistake, the party must clean up and Prakash Karat and Sitaram Yechury should clarify whether they subscribe to this view.”
