People's Democracy

MUMBAI

Foreign Policy Shift Not In National Interest: Karat

P R Krishnan

AFTER becoming the general secretary of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) it was Prakash Karat’s first visit to Mumbai. He was here for a two-day programme on October 6 to 7. And it was a very tight schedule for the new general secretary. Prakash Karat was invited by the “Citizens for National Consensus” (CNC) to address a seminar they had organised at Indian Merchants Chamber Hall at Churchgate in South Mumbai. The national seminar organised by the CNC was on the “Disinvestment & Foreign Direct Investment.”

Needless to say, it was one of the hottest topics being debated in the country today. But the timing of the seminar was also very appropriate, as it only a week after the all-India protest strike that the country witnessed on September 29, in protest against the disinvestments threatened in public sector undertakings. The speakers chosen by the organisers represented various walks of economic, political and social life. Along with Prakash Karat, they included CPI general secretary A B Bardhan, Arjun Sen Gupta (Rajya Sabha member and chairman, expert group on public sector autonomy), Kumar Ketkar (editor, Marathi daily Loksatta), Vishwanath Sacheo (former editor, Navbharat Times), Professor P V Deoli (director, Sydenham Institute of Management Studies and Research and Entrepreneurship Education, SIMSREE) and CNC chairman Mukut Shah. The audience at the seminar comprised management consultants, industry experts, financial experts, journalists, writers, lawyers, political analysts, functionaries of political parties, trade unionists from different organisations, college lecturers, university teachers, researchers and professionals from different fields and students. A predominant section of this well educated audience was of women. Not unexpectedly, much of the controversy emanating during the seminar centered around the policies of the Left vis-à-vis UPA.

In his presentation, Prakash Karat explained the CPI(M) position vis-à-vis FDI. He said that much of the projection of this controversy in the media is not the real version of the story. The CPI(M) is not opposed to FDI in its entirety. The party opposes the FDI when implementation of this policy crosses the borders set out in the National Common Minimum Programme and encroaches upon the key and strategic sectors. He pointed out that there is no conflict between the West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya and the party, as is projected in the news media day in and day out. He said the CPI(M) was definitely opposed to the disinvestment of the Navratna companies and other profit making public sector undertakings (PSUs), while it also stood for PSU reform and democratisation.

After the presentations at the seminar were over, it turned out to be a lively exchange of opinion during the question and answer session. Many of these questions were addressed to Prakash Karat and A B Bardhan. While concluding, Karat pointed out that the UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi, under advice from prime minister Manmohan Singh, had written to him informing the party that the disinvestment plan in the Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) had been dropped.

On October 7, Karat’s programme started in the morning with a meeting at the CPI(M) state headquarters at Janshakti at Worli. This was specially organised for the leadership of the party and mass organisations. Addressing the meeting at the party office, Prakash Karat explained the guidelines underlined in the party’s political and organisational report and further elaborated in the subsequent Central Committee documents. These are aimed at strengthening the party and widening its base. At the meeting, the party functionaries took active interest in eliciting information and seeking clarifications on various issues agitating their mind. As in the seminar, a majority of the questions posed at the party meeting too was in regard to the UPA government and its policies. Karat clarified all such questions.     

The next programme of the day for Karat was “Meet the Press,” organised by the Mumbai Marathi Patrakar Sangh at its office complex at Azad Maidan. The audience here was an unusual one. Representatives from the news agencies, print media, All India Radio, Doordarshan and other television channels were in full strength. The media conference was well covered by all sections.

The next on the agenda was a grand welcome reception in the Patkar Hall of the SNDT University at the new Marine Line in South Mumbai, organised by the Mumbai committee of the CPI(M). Here, the public meeting was presided over by Dr Ashok Dhawale, CPI(M) Central Committee member and the newly elected secretary of its Maharashtra state committee. CPI(M) Mumbai committee secretary Mahendra Singh delivered the welcome speech. Several units of the CPI(M) and mass organisations presented bouquets to and garlanded Karat.

In the 70 minute long speech he made here, Prakash Karat touched upon and clarified several issues the country is facing. He pointedly mentioned the role of the UPA government on the domestic front and on foreign policy issues. He said that while the UPA government, true to its class character, tries to protect the interest of the exploiting classes at the national level, it is following a pro-imperialists policy at the international level. A glaring example is India’s role was witnessed at the IAEA meeting on Iran’s nuclear technology development. The Manmohan Singh government voted in favour of anti-Iran EU resolution under the US pressure, Karat said without mincing words. The CPI(M) and the Left parties are opposed to it. This shift in our foreign policy is, according to our party, not in our national interest. Dwelling further on this issue, Karat said that the Left parties would jointly convene a national convention at Delhi, on October 28, to campaign for an independent foreign policy.

In his speech, Karat also said it was because of the pressure from the Left parties that the UPA government brought up and the parliament passed the rural employment guarantee bill in the last session of the Lok Sabha. Likewise, Karat said that the CPI(M) and the Left parties would bring pressure on the UPA government in the winter session of parliament for enactment of a bill aiming at solving the problems of 8.5 crore Adivasi population and also the Women’s Reservation Bill. He further said the Left parties would also bring pressure on the UPA government to take a positive stand in WTO meeting against anti-agriculture seed policy which the WTO is trying to impose on India and other developing nations. He said that though the CPI(M) is not against FDI in general, the party is opposed to FDI entry in such sectors like Malls where there is no protection for labour and where thousands in retail trade will be thrown out of jobs. Finally, stressing the significance of the successful September 29 countrywide strike, he called upon all the party members to forge struggles and strengthen the Left.

In his presidential speech, Dr Ashok Dhawale dealt briefly with the main political trends emerging in Maharashtra and the several campaigns which the party and mass organisations recently conducted in the state. He particularly mentioned in this regard the recent victory which the Left, democratic, secular and progressive forces scored over communal elements in the September election to the Bombay University senate.

Seated on the dais were veteran leader Ahilya Rangnekar, CPI(M) Central Committee member Kumar Shiralkar and other leaders of the party and mass organisations. The participants included enthusiastic SFI, DYFI, AIDWA and CITU members and functionaries. Anil Prabhu proposed a vote of thanks.

Earlier, on his arrival from Delhi on October 6, Prakash Karat was given a rousing welcome at the Bombay airport by members and functionaries of the Airport Authority Employees Union and Air Corporation Employees Union. The CPI(M) and other mass organisation functionaries were also there in good number to accord a welcome reception to Karat at the airport.