O J's Corner : Reflections

Divestment issue more vital
than people’s woes?

All the newspapers and the media led with the piece of news on Thursday and Friday ( June 6-7, 2006 ) about Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh’s decision to put on hold all proposals for disinvestment, including those for sale of shares of Nalco and Neyveli Lignite Corporation( NLC).

The Prime Minister was forced to take the decision by the rigid stance of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi’s DMK that its two Union Ministers would pull out of the UPA Government.

DMK was sore that the shares of NLC were being sold out. Actually the party had sounded out initially that the shares being divested  should be sold to the employees. Later, when the Union Government was amenable to the demand, the party gravitated towards the die-hard position of no divestment.

CPM and CPI were coaxing the DMK to drive the Manmohan Singh Government to the wall. The Left parties had their pound of flesh last year when it forced the Government to put on hold divestment of ten per cent of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL).

I was always wondering why the employees could not have the shares and be a party to the company’s management so that they would be responsible allies to their employer. If there is any mismanagement, they could air their grievances at the management level and try to correct undesirable practices. Then they cannot treat the employer as mere milch-cows.

Well, the Left parties provide critical support of 60 MPs to the UPA Government. DMK’s influence centres round its 16 MPs supporting the Union Government, besides the party heading the Democratic Progressive Alliance in Tamil Nadu, of which Congress is an ally. In the political process, parties have to be flexible for being part of governance especially in a coalition set-up.

Should it be the core issue to confront the government, when thousands of farmers are committing suicide, the food security is being undermined owing to shortfall in the production of wheat, people are faced with the stark reality of mounting figures of unemployment, prices of essential commodities are soaring, and petrol and diesel prices are poised to go up any time?

The world is witnessing slump in wheat production this year as had happened in 1972. During 1972, prices of grain items had doubled even as income levels remained static. Private operators, black-marketeers and hoarders had a field day.

Confronted with a common problem, political parties should have advised the government to take far-sighted preventive measures. Instead, some have gone to the extent of blaming the government for ordering import of wheat, saying the shortage plea was an exercise by the West to compel developing countries to resort to import.

Such arguments are fickle-minded and parochial, disregarding the real problems the people will have to face. When a buffer stock is kept in place, private parties cannot squeeze a fast buck arising from a situation of food shortage.

Gentlemen politicians, wake up to the clarion call of the times to cater to the real needs of the people, particularly the average and poor people. They need help.