Buddha Speak
Believe me, it is a welcome change indeed. At least a section of our comrades are trying to realise the changes in the world. I am talking about the recent statements of West Bengal chief minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee on the need to attract more FDI, labour reforms (although not directly) etc. Of course, Manmohan is glad to find a friend in among the leftists and that will give him extra calories in his fight with them on reforms issues.
Most notably, he has indirectly talked about labour reforms, look at his words from a report in Financial Express, where he says that his party is trying to change the 'mindset' of workers. He goes further and hits the nail directly. "Issues like productivity and the quality of production are not the headaches of the management alone. You have to share them. Otherwise industries will collapse and jobs will be lost". This provoked Brinda Karat to criticise this as an attempt to link the lack of labour reforms becoming 'impediment' towards attracting FDI. I would just want to point out the recent Hero Honda episode and media reports suggesting a similar labour unrest in Maruti to her. If this trend is left unchecked, it will surely send a strong negative message to the investors.
It is only expected that his open views are bound to create ripples among the leftist institutions and intelligensia. CPM central committee members and other constituents of leftists are already up in their arms and Buddha's thesis has become CPI-M's anti-thesis. To balance it, Yechury has come in support of the beleaguered Buddhadeb rather strongly and that should make the fight more interesting. It is quiet natural that any attempt to bring in changes in an established doctrine will be met with stiff resistance, but the attempt itself is certainly worth appreciation.
Till this time leftists had been acting blind and deaf to see liberalisation and globalisation in India vis-a-vis the reforms initiated by Chinese post-1978 and it finally required Buddha to drive home the point of 'chinese model' to them. He has also cited the case of Vietnamese trying to attract US capital now despite the bitter memories of war in 60s. And media reports add that Buddha will now be looking at US capital after 'looking east'. This attitude should help the leftists to come over their blind and obscure dogma of anti-americanism.
Congratulations Mr. Buddha and good luck for your fight.
Most notably, he has indirectly talked about labour reforms, look at his words from a report in Financial Express, where he says that his party is trying to change the 'mindset' of workers. He goes further and hits the nail directly. "Issues like productivity and the quality of production are not the headaches of the management alone. You have to share them. Otherwise industries will collapse and jobs will be lost". This provoked Brinda Karat to criticise this as an attempt to link the lack of labour reforms becoming 'impediment' towards attracting FDI. I would just want to point out the recent Hero Honda episode and media reports suggesting a similar labour unrest in Maruti to her. If this trend is left unchecked, it will surely send a strong negative message to the investors.
It is only expected that his open views are bound to create ripples among the leftist institutions and intelligensia. CPM central committee members and other constituents of leftists are already up in their arms and Buddha's thesis has become CPI-M's anti-thesis. To balance it, Yechury has come in support of the beleaguered Buddhadeb rather strongly and that should make the fight more interesting. It is quiet natural that any attempt to bring in changes in an established doctrine will be met with stiff resistance, but the attempt itself is certainly worth appreciation.
Till this time leftists had been acting blind and deaf to see liberalisation and globalisation in India vis-a-vis the reforms initiated by Chinese post-1978 and it finally required Buddha to drive home the point of 'chinese model' to them. He has also cited the case of Vietnamese trying to attract US capital now despite the bitter memories of war in 60s. And media reports add that Buddha will now be looking at US capital after 'looking east'. This attitude should help the leftists to come over their blind and obscure dogma of anti-americanism.
Congratulations Mr. Buddha and good luck for your fight.
posted by Baskaran Sankaran @ 19:53
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