Date:19/06/2004 URL: http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/2004/06/19/stories/2004061902041900.htm

Back Left parties against divestment in BSNL

Our Bureau

Kolkata , June 18

MR Mohammed Salim, recently-elected to the Lok Sabha from the Kolkata North West parliamentary constituency, has said that Left parties would protest in Parliament if the Central Government made any attempt to divest Government equity in Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd (BSNL), or for that matter in any other profit-making public sector undertaking.

Speaking at a `Joint convention of telecom employees' against disinvestment of BSNL' here, Mr Salim expressed the hope that the United Progressive Alliance government at the Centre would stick to its pre-poll commitment not to sell government equity stake in profit-making PSUs. He, however, mentioned that the present government has not, as yet, raised the issue of divestment in BSNL, which is a profit-making PSU.

Mr Bijoy Kishore Goswami, Convenor of the convention, said that employees of BSNL were apprehensive of divestment of the Government's equity stake in BSNL. He said the Central Government has never stated categorically that there would be no divestment in BSNL and urged the Government to make such a statement to allay fears in the minds of BSNL employees.

Mr Goswami said that, instead of thinking of disinvestment, the Government should focus on improving the quality of telecom services, especially on BSNL's mobile network.