Reforms must have human face: Gujral

KOLKATA: Former Prime Minister I K Gujral on Sunday charged the Vajpayee government with pursuing reforms which had rendered people jobless and said reforms must have a "human face."
"If people are thrown out of employment, and we tell the world that we are doing reforms, it has no meaning," Gujaral said while inaugurating the state conference of All India Trade Union Congress (AITUC) here.
Five lakh small units were closed since reforms process started, Gujral said, adding that even public sector units were being sold out.
Rejecting a universal definition for reforms, he said each country has to initiate reforms according to its situational needs.
The NDA government''s economic and social policy posed danger to the country and it needs to be opposed, he said.
Gujral also lauded the erstwhile Soviet Union for helping India to set up heavy industries in the country and strengthen defence when USA and UK had refused to assist.
Echoing Gujral, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said the NDA government''s policy only benefits the multi-national companies and asked the trade unions to launch a united offensive against this policy.
Bardhan said India was perhaps the only country which has a separate department for disinvestment and a minister whose job was to sell out all public sector units "even below their actual price."