NEW DELHI: The former Prime Minister Chandra Shekhar has assailed the economic policies of the Narasimha Roa government and called the holding of Punjab elections a “farce” as the government has failed to ensure participation of all political parties.

Chandra Shekhar said on Friday that opening of the. Indian economy to multi-nationals was against the interests of the nation and “Once you succumb to the pressure you will always be frightened.

Lashing out at the economic policy Chandra Shekhar said the day the exit policy was implemented lakhs of retrenched labor would come on the streets and “we will not be able to face them.”

The economic liberalization was initiated by the former Prime Minister V.P Singh and nobody was talking about it he said He added the Congress (I) had lost its moorings and the CPI and CPM were too demoralized to say anything in view of the development in the Soviet Union.

Replying to a question on establishment of diplomatic ties with Israel Chandra Shekhar said most of us countries had recognized.

Israel and even the Arab nations were not taking exception to it.

In a press conference Chandra Shekhar circulated a statement of Balasaheb Deoras criticizing the entry of multinationals saying they were not only exploiting India’s resources but also indulging in espionage.

The SJP will not “participate” in the February 19 elections in Punjab as the government had failed to make adequate preparation for the Polls in the state the party leader.

Chandra Shekhar announced here on Friday. He said “the SJP in no way wants t0 be a party to this inept handling of a very critical and sensitive situation in the state. He clarified that SIP was not boycotting the polls. “Boycott and non-participation are two different things” he said.

Talking to newsmen the former prime minister said the government had also aggravated the “sense of frustration and despair” among the people and in the process it had lost the credibility to hold free and fair polls.

The situation in Punjab had worsened since June last year when the Congress (l) reversed the decision to bold elections there.

Chandra Shekhar said. He charged the Narasimha Reo government with creating an atmosphere of social tension which he said would only encourage terrorists and separatists.

In June when he was the prime minister a political climate was created in which various Akali parties and all other parties were ready to participate in the electoral Process and there was a hope for the future according to Shekhar.

However no sooner had the Congress (l) returned to power the scheduled June elections in Punjab were “inexplicably postponed and later cancelled which further deepened the profound sense of alienation of the Punjab masses he said.

Chandra Shekhar said the Punjab governor and bureaucrats at the Center as well as the state were opposed to postponement of June elections. Even the chief election commissioner was opposed but he was “coerced” by the government to issue orders he said.

The situation in Punjab had worsened with the decision taken by some of some of the Akali factions to boycott the polls Chandra Shekhar said.

Holding elections in this situation when a section is not taking part in the polls will only be “counterproductive” and this would not help resolve the Punjab problem he said.

The main problem in Punjab today is the feeling of alienation among a section of the people and all attempts should have been made to reduce this alienation and desist from any steps which accentuated this sense of despondency and separateness.

The elections in Punjab could have been made a medium for reducing the alienation of the masses if the government had taken appropriate steps in time to ensure the participation of all the political parties he said.

“The Punjab government employees had not declared that they would boycott the elections and yet the government was approaching Haryana and Himachal Pradesh and other states to deputize their employees in Punjab to conduct polls the former prime minister said.

He did not understand how the Prime minister could agree to have common candidates in Punjab. “Even a person with elementary political knowledge will not do so” he said.

Does the government want to unite the whole nation against the Sikh community and isolate it Chandra Shekhar asked and said “we must have a right approach at the right moment?”

“Surprisingly whatever the Narasimha Rao government does whether on the political or economic or international front it gets instantaneous support from the BUP leader K. Advani” the former prime minister said.

Though he headed a caretaker government the situation in Punjab had improved and found solutions with its neighbors strengthened during his six-month tenure Chandra Shekhar said.

Pakistan did not make a single “bitter” statement against India should look towards Washington or London India could improve its relations with neighboring countries by holding dialogue and coop eating with one another he said.

Article extracted from this publication >> February 14, 1992