This is what CPM leader Sitaram Yechuri said at an interactive session on “Inflation and its impact on economy” in city today.
“There is no bravado in pulling down the UPA government,” Yechury said.
“The dilemma before us is that this (economic) policy was earlier adopted by the BJP-led NDA government and is now being followed by the UPA government. There is no guarantee that this policy will not continue when the next government, be it BJP-led or by UPA, comes to power.”
Regarding why the Left has not criticised the UPA on inflation as much as on the nuclear deal, Yechury said the latter was a different matter and the BJP was opposing it too. “It will be difficult for the BJP to oppose the deal if it comes to power, though,” he said.
The deflation policies of the UPA government can be disastrous for the economy, Yechuri said, advocating a ban on futures trading in agricultural commodities as this was one of the chief reasons for the rise in prices of foodgrain.
He said the futures trading is essentially a speculation and not trade. “If you allow speculation on foodgrain then prices will rise. It is not the Indian trading companies that are making a profit but the big MNCs,” he said.