Govt's retail policy shortsighted: CPI

Lashing out at UPA's economic policies, the Communist Party of India, (CPI) has particularly warned against the entry of big business in retail, as it would render a huge population jobless.

Briefing media persons on the deliberations of a three-day party meet, A B Bardhan, general secretary, alleged that the government is misleading people on the jobs opportunities in the retail stores being opened by big business houses.

"May be some 50,000 people get employed by these stores. But at the same time, it would threaten the livelihood of about four crore retailers in the country," he said.

The CPI meet has issued a strong indictment of the UPA government's policies including the flag-ship legislation - the NREGA (National Rural Employment Guarantee Act). "NREGA's implementation is disappointing. It has failed to tackle unemployment," the party resolution said.

The party has sought a sincere mid-term review by the UPA government on all its policies that has bearing on price rise, employment, livelihood, SEZ, and farmers. "We are not going to withdraw support to the UPA government on these issues, but along with other Left partners, we would press for a mid-term correction in the government's policies and also review our relationship with UPA in the context," Bardhan said.

CPI has also accused the Congress party of reversing land reforms by allowing big businesses to divest farmers of their land through contract farming. The party has threatened a country-wide agitation to protest against UPA's failure to change the economic conditions of farmers.

Bardhan alleged that in Andhra Pradesh CPI workers, who were spearheading the land reforms campaign, were being subjected to police atrocities. "Our general secretary was to be charged for sedition as he demanded land reforms, and it was only under media-pressure that the police relented," Bardhan said.