Opinion Anna Hazare afterthought

At the height of the Hazare-led campaign,the party had demanded that the government let the Jan Lokpal bill be tabled in Parliament and end the fast-unto-death undertaken by the social activist. An editorial in the latest issue of CPI journal New Age,however,says that while “we are all for a comprehensive Lok Pal legislation covering each and every functionary of the establishment including the prime minister,it has to be within the basic framework of our Constitution and should not lead to subversion of… parliamentary democracy.”

It adds that corruption cannot be fought in isolation as it has been seen as a by-product of economic neo-liberalism. “Similarly,the fight against corruption should not be used to side-track much more serious issues like price-rise,unemployment,continuously widening gap between the poor and the rich and wholesale hawking of the national assets of PSUs.”

It adds: “We have no quarrel with Anna Hazare and his supporters,some of whom have (a) very shady record as far as corruption and misuse of official position is concerned. We would like that,if they are really interested in wiping out the evil of corruption from the society,the platform… be much wider,covering all the evils of economic neo-liberalism.”

Social insecurity

With the government finally taking the long-awaited pension bill out of cold storage,the Left has restarted its opposition to the legislation. An article by CITU General Secretary,Tapan Sen,in the latest issue of CPM weekly People’s Democracy says that the bill has paved the way for a new regime,replacing an assured pension with a pension system governed by market forces,that plays with employees’ life-time savings. “Most alarmingly,through PFRDA bill,the government now plans to attract the savings of the 46 crore unorganised sector workers for investment in the stock market on the same scheme of market-based uncertain returns,” it says. The real reason behind the pension bill is altogether different,it argues: “The share market needs a continuous flow of liquidity to keep up profits for the speculators and brokers. Pension fund can be one such source for such liquidity as it belongs to none but the poor workers who can be risked for speculative purposes… Pension will no longer remain a secure social security; it will become a funding source for unscrupulous investors,both domestic and foreign.”

Foreign hands

The government’s new FDI policy,recently announced by the department of industrial policy and promotion,came in for harsh criticism from People’s Democracy. The paper reported that multinationals which have entered into India through joint ventures with Indian companies have now been allowed to make investments in the same field,outside the joint venture,unilaterally — without obtaining approval from the Indian partner. “This move will ensure the tightening of the stranglehold of the MNCs over our economy at the expense of Indian companies. The move also exposes the extent to which global agribusinesses are dictating the course of policy decisions in India,” it says,quoting the All India Kisan Sabha.

The article also says that the government has allowed 100 per cent FDI in the development of seeds,horticulture,planting materials and services related to agro and allied sectors,where the entry route is automatic and unrestricted,and that “this is bound to seriously compromise the interests of millions of peasants engaged in dairying,poultry and other such activities for their livelihood,” as well as lead to the quicker dismantling of the National Seeds Corporation.

“Indian seed manufacturers will be adversely affected and peasants would be at the mercy of the MNCs for the supply of seeds. There will be no control over seed prices or royalty and seed monopolies will be further strengthened,” it adds.

Compiled by Manoj C.G.