The Hindu : Time to review policies, Fernandes tells Centre

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Monday, Sep 02, 2002

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Time to review policies, Fernandes tells Centre

By Our Special Correspondent

The Samata Party leaders (from left), Digvijay Singh, George Fernandes and V.V. Krishna Rao, at the party's national executive meeting in New Delhi on Sunday. _ Photo: V. Sudershan

NEW DELHI SEPT. 1. The newly-elected leader of the Samata Party, George Fernandes, fired a salvo at the National Democratic Alliance Government today, when he stated his objection to its disinvestment policy and reiterated that it was time the Government "reviewed'' its policies and programmes and, if necessary, resorted to a ``mid-course correction.''

The Defence Minister, who was re-elected the Samata Party president after two years at the party's day-long national executive here, said that he had demanded a thorough discussion on the disinvestment policy — and not on any `particular phase' of disinvestment — amid reports that in a letter to the Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee, he had raised questions on diluting the Government equity in public sector undertakings, especially the petroleum sector.

However, it seemed that Mr. Fernandes had not been able to convince all the members of his party on the issue. Murmurs of discontent were heard (outside the meeting) on the Samata Party's approach to the NDA Government.

Earlier, Mr. Fernandes charged that those who had made public the contents of his letter to Mr. Vajpayee had used "a lie.'' Denying that he had sought his inclusion in the Cabinet Committee on Disinvestment or that he had threatened to resign from the Cabinet owing to "differences" over the policy, he said he had not opposed the disinvestment of the PSUs on the grounds of strategic or defence interests.

"Whosoever floated (the above) used a lie for whatever purpose he or she might have had... these are motivated... '' Mr. Fernandes told a press conference after his election.

He had asked the Prime Minister to convene a meeting of a small group of Ministers in which he could place his party's view on disinvestments — against allowing the private sector to acquire a monopoly status. Mr. Fernandes said that the report of the Disinvestment Commission, headed by G.V. Ramakrishna, should be the ``road-map'' for the Vajpayee Government.

He also suggested that India draw lessons from Britain where almost a decade after privatising the railways, the nation had re-nationalised it as the private enterprise had become bankrupt. Privatisation of the British power sector was also following a similar course, he said.

On the domestic front, Mr. Fernandes said the Indian Tourism Development Corporation, which had a chain of hotels, should not allow its prime locations to be sold for a song. Property acquired through the taxpayers' money should not be sold to enable someone in the private sector to make a "huge profit."

He had raised the issue with Mr. Vajpayee, the Minister said, adding that "it is never too late'' to focus on the disinvestment policy again. The Samata had suggested a review of the policies and programmes of the Vajpayee Government at the Vijayawada national council in June this year. "The time has obviously come for a serious evaluation of the implementation of the NDA's policies and programmes and to go for a mid-course correction if necessary,'' the party resolution had said.

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