‘National interest must be above all’

BHARATIYA Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) president Hasmukh Dave is an RSS pracharak. A law graduate, he has been on deputation to the BMS since 1967. H...

BHARATIYA Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) president Hasmukh Dave is an RSS pracharak. A law graduate, he has been on deputation to the BMS since 1967. He became the BMS president in February this year after having served it as its organisational secretary for nine years. Excerpts from an interview with Pradeep Kaushal:

The general impression is that you have suddenly fallen out with the BJP-led Government at the Centre. Is it correct?

This impression is wrong. We decided to have an agitation from September 25 to October 2 at our national session at Thiruvananthapuram in February this year. We organised a massive rally of one lakh people here on April 16 last year. At the 37th Indian Labour Conference in May 2001, we submitted a protest note on globalisation. The BMS organised a country-wide protest against disinvestment on July 23 this year. Where is the room for this impression?

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Bharatiya Kisan Sangh president Kunwarjibhai Jadhav has described the Vajpayee Government as worse than that of Narasimha Rao. Do you agree?
Absolutely. Because of its sheer speed (on reforms). They have embarked on the second-generation reforms…We want them to slow down, pause, review what they have done and then consider what they should do. The Government must undertake a re-appraisal with an open mind, preceded by a free debate.

Haven’t they done so with regard to disinvestment?
That is only with regard to oil PSUs, courtesy opposition from some ministers.

How would you like the Government to proceed?
We are opposed to disinvestment of profit-making PSUs. Second, we are against creation of private monopolies, which the Government has done while disinvesting IPCL and Balco. Third, we want total transparency in the method adopted for disposal. Four, the valuation of PSUs must be correct. Above all, national interest should be foremost while taking any decision.

How would you define national interest?
Apart from keeping government control over the three strategic sectors — defence, railways and oil — the government should also save the indigenous industry. Competition, we all know, is healthy, but only between equals, not between your own cottage industries and multinational companies.

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How do you view excessive trade unionism and the agitationist approach, which killed many an industry?
A Reserve Bank of India report has attributed the sickness of industrial units in 65 per cent cases to mismanagement and in 3 per cent cases to labour unrest.