On its edit page, the Times of India has published an article today, that exhibits some sense on land acquisition and need for industrialisation, and takes to task the political parties on maligning of the rich and the industrialists.
“The moment a budget is presented in Parliament or assemblies, it’s standard theatre for opposition members to rush out and denounce it as anti-poor or anti-farmer. They paint the government to be representing corporates, intent only on selling farmers’ land to industries at a throwaway price. They demand imposition of more and more taxes on the rich and distribution of these to the poor.
The government also comes forward with the claim of presenting a pro-poor, pro-farmer budget followed by a laundry list of freebies provided for the poor. The opposition claims ‘rich are getting richer and poor poorer’.
All these suggest that budgets should be prepared solely for the poor. The middle class or rich do not exist, even if they do nothing need be done for them. Everything must be done for the poor because they vote in large numbers.
So, is poverty a virtue? Does one commit a crime by earning well? ‘Industry’ is presented as a dirty word. The overwhelming perception is that any industrialist sets up industry for the exploitation of labour, society and farmers. He is therefore undeserving of any mercy. The more merciless the government can be towards the corporate, the more popular it supposedly becomes.
‘Profit’ too is a dirty word, but unless the industrialist earns a good profit why should he set up any industry? There is no need for him to make the effort, overcoming a myriad governmental and societal obstacles.
There is not a single chief minister or prime minister in independent India who has not made untiring efforts to draw industry to his domain. Even the very pro-poor, pro-farmer Left Front government in West Bengal had to do so, at the risk of losing power. And they all do it to eradicate poverty. To create jobs and employment. To increase per capita income. To improve people’s standard of living.
Most farmers approach politicians, MPs, MLAs, ministers to get a job for their wards in industry, not in the farming sector. Because there is no profit in agriculture. While this is the reality on one side, on the other farmers are incited to resist when industry comes.”(from the article)
Read the whole article here.
