'The Left Front Should Have Done More'

One of India's more vocal members of Parliament and veteran trade unionist Gurudas Dasgupta (77) has quit electoral politics. The CPI MP, known for his integrity, a quick temper and his sharp tongue, is going to be missed. Outlook caught up with him in Kolkata.

Why did you decide not to run for election this time?

I have been an MP for 25 years—15 years in the Rajya Sabha and 10 years in the Lok Sabha. I think that is long enough. It is better to leave the crease when people still ask, 'Why are you leaving?' instead of waiting for a time when people will ask, "Why are you still here?"

Are you disillusioned with electoral politics?

I have no sense of frustration because I have tried to do my best. But it is true that the Parliamentary system is facing a severe crisis. The ad hoc-ism, the way proceedings get held up and the standard of discussions have deteriorated. Parliament was more sensitive then and the media today is far more keen to focus on chaos.

Your critics say your decision was prompted by ruling Trinamool Congress fielding a popular star of Bengali films, Dev, from your constituency ?

I decided not to contest a year back. I don't know who Dev is. I have never seen him or even his films. But it is a political contest. It is not a contest between a Communist and a Trinamool star. People may come to look at a 'hero' but it does not necessarily mean that at the time of voting they will push the button keeping his image in mind.

Keeping in view the fact that the Left Front in West Bengal focused primarily on agriculture , possibly to the detriment of industry, for close to 34 years, shouldn't Bengal have been by now a shining example of development in terms of agricultural growth?

The Communist government did enough. But it should have done more. The advancement in agriculture that the state has sustained is mainly due to the initiative of the Left government. The change of land relations for instance. Bengal is still ranked along with the best states of the country. But you cannot look at Bengal in isolation. Last 10 years during the rule of UPA I and II, India did not have much of development in terms of agriculture.

What is your solution to the economic problems facing the country?

There must be heavy investment by the government to move the economy forward. The thrust should be on enlarging government spending. If government spending increases, the market will look up, profit expectation will look up and private industry will come in. We cannot depend on foreign investment to rescue India from the present crisis.

Does the central government have the kind of money required to fund capital intensive industries?

Of course it does. About 7 lakh crores of rupees should be invested. Then the wheel will turn and there will be more optimism in the market. The Indian annual budget is 12 lakh crores of rupees but it can easily be 16 lakh crore rupees.

How?

Because India is one of the least taxed countries in the world. We have to mop up the resources by resorting to progressive taxation and abandoning the process of regressive taxation. That will give us enough scope to mop up the resources and generate new investment in the country. It is wrong to say that there is no money.

As a veteran trade unionist you have also been held responsible for the lackadaisical work culture and loss of productivity in the last few decades. How do you respond to such criticism?

The apathy of the labour force is because the future for them is bleak. It cannot be attributed to the awareness of their rights. It has more to do with the terms of their employment.

If you read the Survey Report of the ASSOCHAM.the tendency to employ a large number of contract laborers is what is really affecting the activities because there is a sense of detachment between the industry and the workforce. Workers are working on a temporary basis and they don't have the same sense of belonging. A labour force which is temporary and has a low salary will have a tendency not to do what should be done. It is because of the large deployment of contract labor that productivity is affected.

Any example of an industry which has not been adversely impacted by recurrent strikes?

Look at Maruti, its quality and its productivity. There are agitations but in spite of that the quality has not been affected.

Workers want to do well because they feel that if they do well, they would get more production bonus, more remuneration. If companies improve and companies get more profit then a share of it would flow to them. But how many industries have linked wages with their own profit?

How hopeful are you that the next government at the Centre will be able to bring in changes in the system to drive the economy ?

It is difficult to say. It will depend on the new political compulsion. What policies they will follow. There may not be a Congress government. But there may not be a BJP government either.

Are you suggesting that there may be a Third Front government, led by the Left?

Again it is difficult to say. But economic prosperity will depend on whether there will be a new policy or a continuation of the old policy. But there must be some initiative by the government to generate enthusiasm in the economy. .