Left Front leaders in the state see a capitalist trend in Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee’s Railway Budget announced in the Lok Sabha on Friday.

Reacting to the budget proposals, CPM state

secretary Biman Bose said the budget has initiated partial privatisation of the railway sector.

“Earlier, the Congress government had planned privatisation in railways. The present railway minister is following the agenda,” he added.

The Left parties have opposed the idea of setting up a land bank for industrial houses.

“The land will be given to big business houses in the name of public-private partnership,” said Ashok Ghosh, veteran Forward Bloc leader.

Kshiti Goswami, state PWD Minister and a senior RSP leader, said there might be some relief for the poor and common

people but the direction of the Budget is towards big capital.

“It is a mixed budget because she has offered to revive two PSUs, but simultaneously she wants to give up the government land to industrialists,” said Goswami.

Bose admitted that there is some relief for the poor, but pointed that no assurance has been given for filling up huge vacancies in the railways.

“We will oppose the privatisation of railways,” said Bose.

Ghosh alleged that the rail budget was prepared in the “interest of the rich and capitalists in accordance with the policies of the Manmohan Singh government”.