SJM criticises BJP's agenda for development

The development plank of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) came under attack today from the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM), which has the backing of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS).

Barely two days after the RSS clearly indicated at its Jaipur meet that it was not happy with the BJP's policies, the SJM released a document today which warned the government against attempting to build "a mystique around the concept of development".

SJM Convenor P Murlidhar Rao said the issue of development must not be trivialised at a time when economic issues had come into the political centrestage.

"Let the government explain development in clear terms and identify its beneficiaries," Rao said. He added that though the government's India Shining campaign could have "limited relevance", its wider impact on society was yet to be felt.

The SJM is seeking to appropriate for itself the Opposition's role within the Sangh Parivar in line with the political strategy of the RSS.

In what could leave the BJP leadership red-faced, Rao also predicted that Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu, who chose to champion the cause of globalisation, could face political marginalisation in the forthcoming elections. Naidu might fall like the other icons of globalisation, PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh, he said.

The SJM's opinion of Naidu is indicative of the RSS's unease with the politics of a key National Democratic Alliance (NDA) partner, the TDP.

Though the SJM's criticism of the government's economic policy is seen as a tactical ploy, the swadeshi faction has also tried to set the political agenda by rejecting the contention of the reformists within the BJP that the economic reforms launched by the PV Narasimha Rao regime was the right course for the country. "The model adopted by PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh is unacceptable," he said.

The four-page statement outlining the SJM's views, released by Rao today, has tried to strike a delicate balance between taking a critical view of the NDA government's policies and appreciating its stand on the World Trade Organisation (WTO) talks.

Rao also said despite the claims made by the government unemployment had risen. "This does not make the unemployed youth in the country feel good," he said.

The SJM was also critical of the government's policy of opening up various sectors to foreign direct investment before the WTO has held negotiations on them.

"The prime minister had assured the SJM that the government's decision to open up the domestic economy to foreign investors will be linked to ongoing negotiations in the WTO," he said.