Kolkata: Welcoming incoming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's statement on disinvestment, CPI (Communist Party of India) leader Gurudas Dasgupta today (May 20, 2004) said 'this is not enough' and called on the new Government to wind up the Disinvestment Ministry and inquire into disinvestments by NDA (National Democratic Alliance) Government, including gross under-sale of the public sector units.

"I welcome the statement of the Prime Minister-designate Manmohan Singh today against indiscriminate privatisation. It constitutes a departure from the earlier policies followed by the NDA Government. But this is not enough," Dasgupta, a CPI National Executive and National Council member told reporters in Kolkata.

Dasgupta, the general secretary of the AITUC (All India Trade Union Congress) made a four-point proposal on the disinvestments, which he wanted the new Government to consider.

Firstly he said, "the Government should categorically state that profit-making PSUs (Public Sector Undertakings) not only in the Oil, everywhere, will not be privatised and those units which are potentially viable should be nursed back to health."

Private capital should not be allowed to enter into Defence productions.

Thirdly, the Disinvestment Ministry should be wound up and finally the interest of workers should be protected, he said.