10-21-2008, 03:58 AM
<!--QuoteBegin-->QUOTE<!--QuoteEBegin--> <b>UPA pandering to greedy capitalists</b>
Hilda Raja
The present crisis in the airline industry has put the spotlight on capitalism and monopolies. These two are closely linked. The countryâs work-force today hardly has any bargaining power. As a result Jet Airlines could lay-off 850 employees without prior notice. It is a different matter that those employees were all taken back after the intervention of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray. But the Union Governmentâs reaction to the same was disgusting.
<b>Aviation Minister Praful Patel did little more than term the largescale retrenchment as something that was done in âbad tasteâ. In fact, the UPA Government chose to completely wash its hands off the matter by stating that it was not the business of the Government to interfere in the policy making of private entrepreneurs. </b>
I say, if the Government is not supposed to look after the welfare of the people, then what is the business of the Government? Are Mr Vijay Mallya and Mr Naresh Goyal functioning in a kingdom of their own with no accountability? Are they free to snatch away the livelihood of hundreds of people? Do they have the constitutional right to hire and fire employees on their whims and fancies while the Government remains a mute spectator? This is totally absurd and if things continue like this then India will surely be on the fast track to becoming a banana republic.
The Government is duty-bound to safeguard labour rights and make sure that the countryâs work-force is not exploited by greedy capitalists. A Government which cannot do the same has no mandate to remain in power. It is pathetic that Mr Praful Patel even tried to rationalise the injustice to Jet employees on the ground that airlines were facing negative growth. If that be so then according to the same logic we should downsize the huge Government Ministries in order to save unnecessary expenses.
With high inflation and rising unemployment and an inefficient Government to boot, our country is speeding towards a great economic disaster. It is clear that the UPA only represents the rich and the gaggle of capitalists that have monopolised industry. Thus, it has lost the political and moral right to preach to the aam admi or ask for its vote. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->
Hilda Raja
The present crisis in the airline industry has put the spotlight on capitalism and monopolies. These two are closely linked. The countryâs work-force today hardly has any bargaining power. As a result Jet Airlines could lay-off 850 employees without prior notice. It is a different matter that those employees were all taken back after the intervention of Maharashtra Navnirman Sena chief Raj Thackeray. But the Union Governmentâs reaction to the same was disgusting.
<b>Aviation Minister Praful Patel did little more than term the largescale retrenchment as something that was done in âbad tasteâ. In fact, the UPA Government chose to completely wash its hands off the matter by stating that it was not the business of the Government to interfere in the policy making of private entrepreneurs. </b>
I say, if the Government is not supposed to look after the welfare of the people, then what is the business of the Government? Are Mr Vijay Mallya and Mr Naresh Goyal functioning in a kingdom of their own with no accountability? Are they free to snatch away the livelihood of hundreds of people? Do they have the constitutional right to hire and fire employees on their whims and fancies while the Government remains a mute spectator? This is totally absurd and if things continue like this then India will surely be on the fast track to becoming a banana republic.
The Government is duty-bound to safeguard labour rights and make sure that the countryâs work-force is not exploited by greedy capitalists. A Government which cannot do the same has no mandate to remain in power. It is pathetic that Mr Praful Patel even tried to rationalise the injustice to Jet employees on the ground that airlines were facing negative growth. If that be so then according to the same logic we should downsize the huge Government Ministries in order to save unnecessary expenses.
With high inflation and rising unemployment and an inefficient Government to boot, our country is speeding towards a great economic disaster. It is clear that the UPA only represents the rich and the gaggle of capitalists that have monopolised industry. Thus, it has lost the political and moral right to preach to the aam admi or ask for its vote. <!--QuoteEnd--><!--QuoteEEnd-->