Saturday, July 9 2005 10:50 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

Kolkota: Criticising the UPA government's economic policies and the move to dilute stake in BHEL, Dasgupta said, "With regard to disinvestment policies, this Government is pursuing it in a transparent way and not in the way Centaur Hotel was divested by NDA."

"But they are following the same reckless policies of the previous BJP-led Government. Disinvestment of profit-making PSUs will impair its character and was inimical to the national interest."

Dasgupta, the All India General Secretary of AITUC, the CPI's labour arm, said, "We are planning an all-India strike against the Centre's anti-people economic policies and it is likely in September."

Dasgupta, also a CPI national executive and national council member, criticised the Government for not announcing a timeframe for the coverage of the entire country under the Employment Guarantee bill.

"We are not happy that nothing tangible has been done particularly on the question of unemployment. Even the bill providing hundred days employment in a year for one member of each family appears to have been diluted and no timeframe has been announced for the coverage of the entire country."

Asked how long the Left parties would give for the emergence of a third alternative and whether it was possible before the next Lok Sabha election in 2009, the CPI leader replied, "A third alternative is not an immediate priority."

Asked how long the Left would support the central government, Dasgupta said, "This is a question we are not going answer immediately. At the moment we are continuing to support the government to honour the electoral verdict. This experiment will continue for a period I am not specifying."