NEW DELHI: Strident anti government posture, stinging Criticism of the economic policies ‘and making the most of the rumblings within the Congress on the liberalization measures is the broad strategy the BJP will adopt during the budget session of Parliament,
‘They will, however, do nothing to bring down the P.V. Narasimha Rao government by voting against any of the money Bills, highly placed party sources said, “No, ‘we do not expect the government to fall during the budget session” the party vice-president, Mr. K.R. Malkani, said. ‘The occasion to vote against the government would not arise if the government incorporates the suggestions made by the BIP, of comes half-way in ‘meeting them on any given issue.
‘The pany is currently studying the major economic issues facing the country and formulating an integrated response to the liberalization moves initiated by the government last July. The sources said the exercise was more in the nature of educating senior party leader son the issues involved than ‘determining the voting pattern during the budget session.
For one, given the predominant position enjoyed by the BJP among the opposition parties in the Lok Sabha, the party is likely to come down heavily on various aspects of the economic policies announced. According to Mr. Govind acharya, general secretary, the party was opposed to the government on most issues and in areas where they shared common views a for needed to be done to implement them. De-government alisation has not touched small industries. The status quo has not been broken, I appears that government put the cert before the horse when it announced the new policies in July Its clear that the policies were announced without any homework; they have not announced how they intended to get over the consequent problem of retrenchment, Again they have been specific on various aspects of the policies. This has given a boost to industrial lobbies”, he said. Party leaders point out that welcoming he knew economic policies during the last session of Parliament did not mean that the BIP would wholeheartedly back them during the budget session. The policies were welcomed at the macro level insofar as they promised de-government alisation and indicated a perceived departure from the Nehruvian mode of development.
“But pronouncements matter little, Where is the change in the ‘round situation? How many industries have been privatized? What change has there been in production or the investment climate? At the implementation level, the policies have not got off the ground. ‘The privatization exercise has got enmeshed in bureaucratic red-tape a senior party leader said
‘Some portions of a note prepared by Mr. S. Gur murthy for the party on economic issues makes interesting reading: “The question before the BJP is whether the new (economic) thought that is emerging the nearly capitalist alternative the correct alternative even as its past objection to the Nehruvian structure has been vindicated by the failure of the structure”,
‘On the IMF loan; From the BJP to the CPM the objection is the IMF condition and not the loans. But what is objectionable is the to an itself. A loan from the IMF how will only perpetuate past wrongs. The structural changes that are widely talked about without anyone defining what those changes are will not come about and cannot come about by the efforts of a weak government that relies on the opposition for day to day survival.
“Even if it wants to, it cannot effectuate the structural changes which will necessarily invite unemployment especially of surplus labor. No opposition party including the BJP can support such measures. Thus, the structural changes stipulated by the IMF will be only on paper. The loan will be consumed in sustaining the existing structure with no hope of repayment of the loan in future”.
It is clear that the BJP would try to influence certain aspects of the coming budget like the question of cuts in subsidies, but would be loath to be part of any move that ‘would lead to the down fall of the government. I tis also clear that there is considerable confusion within the “Sangh Parivar” over the economic issues and the BJP is ‘not seen to be participating in the current debate on economic issues with the same clear headedness With which it so far spoke on political matters,
Within the “sangh parivar, discordant voices are being heard openly with the powerful ‘Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) criticizing the Kalyan Singh government over the Dalla cement factory. Resultant retrenchment after the state government enterprise was privatized has invited the ire of the BMS. On the other hand, the RSS has launched the “swadeshi” andolan against the unfettered entry of multinationals.
‘The BIP’s lack of preparedness in economic matters is indicated in the nature of the 12 point questionaire circulated to a sub ‘committee of experts formed after the recent 23-member, two day meeting of party leaders in the Capital. A party leader admitted that little home work had been done ‘on economic issues, and this was the first time that efforts had been ‘made to go into the details of the part’s broad economic stand. ‘The 12 questions are: “What are ‘our concrete suggestions on the Dunked draft? What changes do ‘we want in external liberalization policy? What in internal liberalization? What should we demand for small scale industries? What should we ask for Indian agriculture? What shall we do about food subsidy, export subsidy etc.? What ‘government expenses need to be ‘out? In there any scope for insources? Is there a case for a cut in taxes? What should be our policy regarding the public sector undertakings? What suggestions ‘can we make for holding the price level and raising the employment level? What is our opinion about the Narsimhan Committee report Today, the office-bearers of the BIP parliamentary party met and discussed the response of the ‘subcommittee on these questions. ‘The report would later be placed before the central office-bearer ‘on February 21 and finally before the parliamentary party on February 23 on the eve of the budge sessions.
“But ultimately the decision to vote against the government o not will be a political one, But in any case, even if we decide to vote ‘against the government, there are there in the opposition who are ‘willing to bail the government out Also, it is to be seen, how some powerful Congress MPs adjust to the liberalization moves” the part leader remarked.
Article extracted from this publication >> March 6, 1992
