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Oppn lambasts govt on privatisation of profitable PSUs
New Delhi, Dec 18: Opposition in the Lok Sabha today accused government of `looting` national assets by way of disinvestment in profit-making PSUs and said Parliament was not taken into confidence in the process which totally lacked `transparency`.
New Delhi, Dec 18: Opposition in the Lok Sabha today accused government of "looting" national assets by way of disinvestment in profit-making PSUs and said Parliament was
not taken into confidence in the process which totally lacked "transparency".
Dubbing the government as an "enemy of workers", CPI-M leader Somnath Chaterjee warned if this "loot" was not stopped, people would revolt against ruling NDA which was pursuing the privatisation policy despite "sharp differences" within government. He said those ministers who had raised issues relating to disinvestment had been "admonished" at a meeting convened by Prime Minister on December 6 and added the government was still pursuing the policy despite opposition from its own allies like Shiv Sena.
Initiating a debate on "disinvestment of PSUs", he demanded a committee of Parliament be constituted for disinvestment of PSUs and government should come to it before executing any sales to prove it had the "honesty of the purpose and method". Chatterjee alleged the government was ignoring all recommendations of parliamentary standing committee which had expressed serious doubts about the entire process including selection of consultants, bidders and valuation.
Terming as an "insult to Parliament" the decision to privatise oil PSUs, HPCL and BPCL, acquired from foreign companies through acts of parliament in public and national interest, he wanted to know what interests were being served through disinvestment in these highly profitable PSUs. Echoing this, Congress demanded a review of the disinvestment policy with its members Mani Shankar Aiyer seeking a white paper on it.
Bureau Report
Dubbing the government as an "enemy of workers", CPI-M leader Somnath Chaterjee warned if this "loot" was not stopped, people would revolt against ruling NDA which was pursuing the privatisation policy despite "sharp differences" within government. He said those ministers who had raised issues relating to disinvestment had been "admonished" at a meeting convened by Prime Minister on December 6 and added the government was still pursuing the policy despite opposition from its own allies like Shiv Sena.
Initiating a debate on "disinvestment of PSUs", he demanded a committee of Parliament be constituted for disinvestment of PSUs and government should come to it before executing any sales to prove it had the "honesty of the purpose and method". Chatterjee alleged the government was ignoring all recommendations of parliamentary standing committee which had expressed serious doubts about the entire process including selection of consultants, bidders and valuation.
Terming as an "insult to Parliament" the decision to privatise oil PSUs, HPCL and BPCL, acquired from foreign companies through acts of parliament in public and national interest, he wanted to know what interests were being served through disinvestment in these highly profitable PSUs. Echoing this, Congress demanded a review of the disinvestment policy with its members Mani Shankar Aiyer seeking a white paper on it.
Bureau Report