Learn from Buddha: Left counter on PM praise

He said an impression had been created that by going to Singapore and Indonesia, Bhattacharya was wooing FDI. But, any FDI should augment productive capacity, upgrade India technologically and create jobs, he said. ‘‘Every FDI into Bengal is meeting all three conditions,’’ he said.

On disinvestment, he said the party leadership’s thinking was reflected in West Bengal’s policy. In the ‘‘age of liberalisation’’, it was necessary to see which PSUs needed to be protected, he said. In the case of West Bengal, there had been no privatisation of profit-making PSUs, Yechury said.

In fact, Yechury said the PM was evidently appreciative of Bhattacharya. ‘‘Our suggestion to the PM is that you should emulate him, acquire land, introduce reforms and implement his policies, empowering the landless and poor peasantry (throughout the country) and see how the situation improves,’’ he said.

The party also criticised the BJP for its shifting stand on the Women’s Reservation Bill. The party’s stand that political parties should reserve a third of party tickets for women in party lists was not the same as ensuring 33 per cent reservation for women in Parliament. He pointed out that when the proposal was first mooted, the BJP had rejected it.

However, Yechury was less harsh on the RJD for asking for reservation for backward castes within the quota for women’s seats in Parliament. He said, ‘‘This can be discussed separately because reservation for backward castes cannot be only for women. The issue should not be linked to women’s reservation.’’