Hinting that the second UPA will proceed with neo-liberal economic reforms at any cost, Union Law Minister Aswani Kumar said that flagship programmes of the UPA like the MGNREGA will end disparities between ‘Bharath’ and ‘India’. Inaugurating a seminar organised by the Indian Lawyers Congress (ILC) on Sunday, the minister termed the Opposition campaign against the economic reforms as propaganda.
Taking a clear departure from Nehruvian economics, which is characterised by strong governmental control, he said that economic liberalisation was a reality and it would be foolish to stay away from it.
The minister also indicated that the changes initiated by the second UPA would be intensified in the coming days implying that the ‘Dollar-Wall Street’ regime would have a crucial say in India’s domestic affairs.
Aswani pointed out that schemes like ‘direct cash transfer for subsidies’ is beneficial and supported the move made by the Kerala government to introduce the contributory pension scheme. He noted that if the government is forced to spend a chunk of its income towards paying pensions and other benefits, developmental initiatives would suffer.
P C Chacko MP, who addressed the gathering, said that even though there are differences in the modus operandi of the second UPA government when compared to the first, the present government is committed to address ‘common man’s issues’. He claimed that the Congress has succeeded in minimising the rate of absolute poverty through various flagship programmes.
The Congress spokesperson also alleged that the regressive ‘pro-bureaucracy’ lobby in Delhi is trying to sabotage the revolutionary RTI Act that has brought succour to common man.