RSS affiliate wants ‘Made-by-India’ push
Vishal Joshi
Tribune News Service
Kurukshetra, November 14
Showing displeasure over the Centre’s FDI policy, the Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM), an RSS affiliate, is batting for ‘Made-by-India’ initiatives to boost the interests of Indian entrepreneurs.
In an interview with The Tribune here today, SJM national convener Arun Ojha said the Central government’s ‘Make-in-India’ programmes were inadequate for employment generation.
“Projects like the National Skill Mission and Start-up India are preparing the ground for cheap human resources to foreign investors. Unemployment is a major challenge and it cannot be handled until Indian businesses are supported and promoted,” said Ojha, leader of a key affiliate of the BJP’s ideological mentor.
At the conclusion of its three-day biennial national convention, the SJM passed a resolution to press the Centre for promoting solar energy projects with Indian capital.
Clarifying that the SJM was not against modern science and technology, Ojha said there was a need to strike a balance between foreign direct investment (FDI) and the interests of ‘swadeshi’ investors.
“FDI is not a panacea to all ills. It is not a solution to all problems. Studies suggest that there have been more outflows than inflows of FDI in the last 25 years. We demand a white paper on FDI to make it a public discourse,” he said.
Ojha said FDI would be welcomed with the condition of ensured promotion of auxiliary industry, creation of foreign market and technology and data sharing with Indian entrepreneurs.
He cautioned Narendra Modi government for any policy in support of genetically modified (GM) crops. He said GM mustard was not ‘swadeshi’ GM as the genes used were the property of multi-nationals.
“What is the need to promote GM mustard when the yields are not higher? Moreover the, bio-safety of such seeds is questionable. The use of chemicals has severely affected soil and human health,” Ojha said.
“The promotion of GM seeds is bio-imperialism as cash-rich MNCs want to monopolise the entire agricultural sector though seeds, pesticides and herbicides,” he claimed.
“We will not allow the introduction of genetically modified crops, including GM mustard, in India. The productivity of existing varieties is higher than this newly developed GM mustard,” he said.
