Tags:
Journalism of Courage
The nationwide strike by Left-backed trade unions hoped to achieve one thing alone 8212; an ugly show of strength of the Left parties. This was attained on Thursday by causing immense inconvenience to citizens all over the country, especially in West Bengal and Kerala. On show, alongwith its strength, was the sheer bankruptcy of Left politics. If the Left is trying to establish itself as an opposition party, should it not first withdraw support to the UPA rather than strike to show its deep and wide disagreement with the government? After all, the use of strike in services such as airports, railways and banks causes immense misery and losses to the common people.
The unions did not even attempt to make specific demands. In fact, the Left no longer needs to do that. It has already ensured that the UPA has given up its attempts at economic reform. The UPA8217;s agenda of liberalisation and reform has been reduced to little more than a charade. It is the Left and the leftist elements in the Congress that have determined the economic agenda of the UPA government. The NCMP has been followed in letter and spirit, especially when it comes to the populist, so-called pro-poor policies. The UPA has not attempted even those reforms that were possible within the constricting framework of the NCMP. Privatisation, an essential part of economic reforms, is off the agenda. The UPA has surrendered to the Left8217;s demands of putting off even the 10 per cent disinvestment in BHEL and the PFRDA bill. The 8220;neo-liberal8221; policies the government is supposed to be following have all fallen victim to the UPA8217;s efforts to cling to power with Left support. It is not even proposing to privatise banks, only to merge the PSU banks, but even that the Left now deems to be unacceptable.
