NEW DELHI, NOV 8: Congress president Sonia Gandhi may have constituted an economic review committee (ERC) to study the impact of liberalisation initiated by her party's own government in 1991, but she has already set the tone three days ago by strongly criticising the economic policies pursued by the Vajpayee government.Her blistering speech on liberalisation, disinvestment and the state ofeconomy must have sent shivers down the spine of the protagonists ofeconomic liberalisation. The speech - partly read out on her behalf by Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dixit - looked as if Sonia was speaking the language of the Left parties on economic issues.Sonia herself was supposed to attend a function organised by the National Union of Journalists (NUJ). However, she backed out of the programme at the last minute, instead dispatching her speech, which was read out by Dixit. Even those connected with the party's economic affairs department were surprised to find Sonia's change of approach on economic policies. They feel that this ``all is not well'' and the Congress has started distancing itself from the path of liberalisation.For example, Sonia lashed out at the Centre's disinvestment policy, saying it was ``destroying'' the public sector. Even those PSUs which were managed well and making profits were being sold for a song. ``This is a very serious matter. We strongly oppose the NDA Government's non-transparent approach to disinvestment in PSUs. We have also opposed ideological assault on the public sector,'' Sonia said.Expressing her deep concern over slow-down in economy, Sonia said industries with enormous production capacity were suffering badly. The government didn't know how to handle even the ``problem of plenty'' on the food front and was not concerned about the welfare of the poor and down-trodden.In an apparent reference to the Sangh Parivar's opposition to Vajpayee government's economic policies, Sonia felt: ``The Government is not taking a single step which can generate faith in its economic policies. Another aspect to be looked into was that a section within the coalition was opposing the policies of the Government.''Sonia also expressed her concern over the noise being made about Information Technology and its effects on the stock market.There are many in the Congress who feel that Sonia would adopt a more strident posture against the economic policies of the government during the Winter session of Parliament.
