“We will never stand for any anti-people policies”

The Americans have achieved critical access to crucial central departments and Ministries, even within the PMO

Ashis Biswas Kolkata

It is still too early to deliver judgment on Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee’s performance in his second tenure as chief minister of West Bengal. But as one observer pointed out, something has occurred in the state during his innings that has happened nowhere else.  One example of this is steel magnate Sajjan Jindal’s plant to invest between Rs 5000 and 10,000 crore in steel and infrastructure sectors in the state. In tune with this newfound investor enthusiasm for West Bengal, long considered the graveyard of capital, the subject that really animates the states helmsman is the one closest to his heart: the economic progress of West Bengal and his visions of the future. He spoke from memory, covering agriculture, agro business, IT, chemicals, power, infrastructure, agricultural exports, engineering, higher education, the Tata proposal to set up a low-price car plant... He reeled off statistics confidently, garnishing a point or two with brief anecdotes.

Several states have reduced sales tax charged on petrol and diesel. Will the West Bengal government follow suit?
 We will reduce our taxes the very day the centre announces a reduction in excise and other duties charged on fuel.  But it is the centre that always increases the price whenever there is any increase in the international market. This practice has created a mess. It is for the centre to clean up its own mess, it cannot expect the states, which have very little financial powers and resources, to pay for its policies. The worst thing is that we have given the centre some suggestions on how to avoid increasing prices indefinitely.  But they never even bother to discuss alternatives with anyone where will it all end?

But surely, a major reason is India’s critical dependence on oil imports.
My question is, are we approaching countries rich in oil and energy resources as an independent sovereign country?  Why have we given up on the pipeline from Iran, linking India and Pakistan?  Because of American pressure, they don’t want us to develop close ties with Iran because they have problems with it; even our petroleum minister, Mani Shankar Aiyar, had to go because he wanted the pipeline built. This had never happened before.  The person who replaced him is known to be close to US interests, according to press reports. It seems the Americans have achieved critical access to crucial central departments and ministries, even within the prime minister’s office (PMO).

But haven’t you welcomed American investment in Bengal?

I have, and what of it?  There is no contradiction in my stand as you imply. We have every respect for American scholarship, their scientific, literary and cultural achievements and values. Some of our foreign friends are beginning to see India increasingly as an ally of the US in South Asia, rather like Pakistan, in this region. This I find deeply disturbing. We have respect for the American people.  Surely this does not necessarily mean that we must love the Pentagon as well?  As for investments, we are in talks with some American concerns who are interested in setting up a chemical hub at Haldia and yes, we certainly welcome them.