Left attacks govt over FDI, jobs for youths

The Left party claimed that former Union Minister Kapil Sibal was opposed by External Affairs minister Sushma Swaraj when he had talked about Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) during the UPA-II regime.

“One doesn't need to be a rocket scientist to understand the present scenario.

 They are doing the same thing. Hundred per cent FDI in various sectors such as defence, infrastructure and pharmaceuticals to name a few shows that the current government is doing the same,” said Nilotpal Basu, Central Secretariat member, CPI (M).

The party’s top brass said the government had failed to fulfill its promise of creating jobs in the country. “Without any analysis, the Prime Minister thinks that investment should be induced through concessions. This causes a lack of domestic demand, which results in people not being able to create domestic produce. 

The government is very high on rhetoric and publicised the 'Make in India' campaign. Rather than manufacturing products in the country, concessions are resulting in foreign companies taking over the Indian market,” added Basu.

He further said, “The government is busy buying products from foreign countries, instead of focusing on indigenous manufacturing. The government seems to be more interested in reviving the sick French and American companies, rather than improving our own domestic defence capabilities.”

“These goals can be achieved in a diplomatic way as opposed to an RSS campaign. 

A poor comprehension of international relations and diplomacy might create a deleterious impact on the viability of Indian products and the employment sector” he added.

Hitting out at the government over its “insensitive” move of relaxing norms in the pharma sector, Basu said the decision might lead to takeover of Indian companies by MNCs, further resulting in costly medicines in the country and other nations where India exports drugs.

He said the party would raise the issue in Parliament too. “We will raise this issue inside and outside Parliament. While there should a radical change, it should be people-friendly and more diplomatic,” he said.