Don’t lecture if you don’t know economics — BJP tells RSS

“They (Sangh leaders) should only point out flaws in Government’s policies without trying to suggest solutions. It’s like a layman not only feeling the temperature of a person suffering from fever, but also attempting to diagnose the disease and prescribe medicine. The correct procedure is to take the patient to a doctor,” said Shettigar.

Shettigar said that Sudarshan, before voicing his concerns, should have at least waited for the booklet being published within the next fortnight by the BJP on economic policies being pursued by the Government. “That should have allayed all fears on economic issues,” he said.

Claiming that he was a swayamsevak too who had been taught to go to any extent to protect the national interest, Shettigar blamed the RSS-SJM leaders of “creating confusion because of their flawed analysis.”

The Sangh Parivar has criticised economic policies of the Government on two occasions during the past fortnight. At its Agra convention, the Manch announced launching of an agitation against the Centre’s decision to allow 100 per cent foreign direct investment in e-commerce and refinery sector, calling it the “second freedom struggle.”

And then at its Gujarat meeting, the RSS gave the SJM its go-ahead by approving its resolutions. Both organisations also decided to enact a second “Dandi March” on October 2, to protest against the Government’s decision to continue mandatory iodisation of salt.

The BJP has so far soft-pedalled the RSS threat saying the Sangh is a separate organisation free to criticise the Government. But Shettigar’s strident criticism of not only the Sangh but its chief as well, is likely to intesify conflict between the two.

The impact was visible immediately when a section of the Sangh leadership debunked the BJP economist’s statement as the “mumbling of an insane person.” One RSS functionary went to the extent of saying that his diatribe was the result of the PMO’s promise to him of a Government job.

The BJP’s booklet is likely to counter Sangh’s allegation that its decision to allow 100 per cent FDI in e-commerce amounted to selling the country, by saying that the decision would create 4.8 million jobs in the software industry during next five years. This will stop the brain drain by taking their salaries on par with those in Europe or US, it argues. Since the decision also entailed mandatory offloading of 25 per cent holding by foreign investors after five years, it was “swadeshi in spirit,” claims Shettigar.

The BJP’s economist also defends the Centre’s decision to let states sanction FDI for power projects worth more than Rs 1,500 crore. Sudarshan was critical of not only allowing more FDI in the power sector but also of the process of disinvestment. He had mentioned how Modern Foods, having assets worth Rs 2000 crore, was sold to a private investor for Rs 120 crore.

Shettigar claims the RSS leaders don’t understand the standard procedure of disinvestment in which it is only the face value of share of a company is taken into account and not its net assets.