Criticism about the BJP government’s economic policies is now coming from unexpected quarters.

 RSS-linked Bharatiya Mazdoor Sangh (BMS) has slammed "Harvard University-educated" economic advisers on various government bodies, saying they have had no connection to the ground realities in India. The BMS said the BJP-led Union government should stop disinvestment in the public sector.

 Addressing a press meet after the conclusion of a two-day meeting of BMS office-bearers here, its national general secretary Brijesh Upadhyay said the organisation, along with other labourer associations, would take out a "Parliament March" on November 17 in New Delhi.  The aim of the march would be to put pressure on government to find solutions to economic issues facing the working class and the common man.
Attacking the economic advisers of the government, the BMS leader said they were not aware of the grou­nd realities in the country.

“Not one of these advisers or consultants has a connect with the ground realities. These Harvard University-educated people, with knowledge limited to the small states there, apply it in a huge country like India, which is not practical at all,” he said.

All advisers on government forums should be “changed” and the real stakeholders with a connection with the ground realities should be brought into policy-making, Upadhyay said.

He also criticised the government’s disinvestment policy. “The government is pursuing a strategic sale and disinvestment of the public sector (undertakings). The BMS is not opposed to the private sector. But the public sector carries social and governmental obligations...the go­vernment should impose the same obligations on the private sector.”

Upadhyay said, “strategic sale and disinvestment of the public sector indicates that the government’s policies are being shaped by the private sector.  The BMS seeks immediate stoppage of this strategic sale and disinvestment.” He said the government should not copy “western economic policies”. Asked about the shape of small and me­d­ium scale industries, Upa­d­hyay said these sectors generated the maximum number of jobs. They should be protected and given an impetus through subsidies and special packages.