Opinion Reform in name only

People’s Democracy reiterated the CPM’s oft-repeated claim that the government subsidises the rich and corporate India in larger numbers than the fiscal deficit,while it curtails the meagre subsidies provided for the poor in the name of containing the fiscal deficit.

Another article in the CPM journal argues that while these measures may set off a temporary speculative boom and deliver profits to capital,they will not do much to spur growth or stall the effects of the intensifying global crisis on India. “The policies on diesel and LPG prices and other measures relating to subsidies would also stoke the already high levels of inflation in the country. The UPA government seems hell bent on engineering stagflation,” it concludes.

GROWTH FOR WHOM?

The CPM(ML) weekly ML Update focuses on the PM’s address to the nation explaining the rationale behind the reform measures. An editorial contends that the very claim of “growth” translating into benefits for the people is a lie. “During India’s ‘high-growth’ period,the aam aadmi has seen education and healthcare becoming farther beyond reach [sic thanks to relentless privatisation,” it says.

It also disputes the argument that steep global oil prices are forcing an increase in domestic oil prices and that India’s oil companies are suffering huge losses. “The truth is that there are no net subsidies in the petroleum sector,and the oil companies are in fact recording huge profits… In March 2012,international crude oil prices fell by more than 20 per cent — yet petrol prices in India were hiked by Rs 7.54 in May.”

“Nor is it true that petrol and diesel prices in India are ‘low’ compared to other countries… By deregulating oil prices,the government has divested itself of any responsibility to protect the Indian people from arbitrary price hikes,” it says.

ACCEPT RESPONSIBILITY

People’s Democracy carries an article on the judgment in the Naroda Patiya case based on the court’s observations. It says while the judgment does not make specific observations on the direct involvement of the chief minister and his government,it shows that successive investigating agencies attempted to erase and tamper with the “records of the case.”

The article quotes extensively from the judgment to argue that there was police inaction during the riots. “Rather the police were instrumental in ensuring that Muslim victims returned to their chawls and became sitting targets for the mobs of the Hindutva brigade,” it alleges.

“The evidence provided by this historic judgment shows that… the massacre… [could have been avoided if the state government and its local officers had fulfilled their responsibilities… the Narendra Modi government is squarely responsible… and must accept the moral and political blame for the riots,” it argues.

Compiled by Manoj C.G.