During his visit to Calcutta this week for addressing a FICCI meeting, Finance Minister Mr. Yashwant Sinha has reportedly identified the Left Parties as the main enemy against his Government’s policy of economic reforms. The second generation of reforms as he profoundly proclaims is the next step to the first generation reforms initiated by Congress, which is now the biggest opposition party in numerical numbers. Sinha rightly does not envisage any problem from Congress in implementing these so-called reforms. The self proclaimed reformer also told FICCI publicly that he does not feel ashamed of being called a Finance Minister chosen by the Industrial Corporate lobby meaning CII, FICCI, ASSOCHEM and others. Quite a candid statement indeed!

The constitution of India starts with the words ‘We the people of India...’ and not the Industrialists of India. Left and like minded forces have been fighting against these so-called reforms which instead of addressing the basic problems of the Indian people viz. Poverty, unemployment and wide disparity between ‘Haves and Have Nots’, have aggravated these problems during last 8 years. The Human Development Report has clearly brought out the dismal scenario of pauperisation of developing countries going through these reforms forced by the global finance capital. Unlike the BJP and its neo-converts like Sinha and others who have been changing their ‘Swadeshi’ stand on issues like privatisation of Insurance and Banks, Patent Act. etc. Left forces are fighting these policies consistently and relentlessly.

Yes, we are opposed to denationalisation, deregulation and ultimately de-industrialisation of this country. Just as Sinha is not ashamed of being an active spokesman of the Industrialists, we are also proud of being the spokesman of workers, poor farmers and lower middle class of this country. We treat the label of ‘anti-reformist’ by sinha as a compliment . Thank you Mr. Sinha.

8th November, 1999.