[Reader-list] ‘FTAs undermining fundamentals of Constitution’

[T Peter]

‘FTAs undermining fundamentals of Constitution’

Express News ServiceFirst Published : 22 Jan 2011 04:23:55 AM ISTLast
Updated : 22 Jan 2011 11:28:47 AM IST

THIRUVANATHAPURAM: India’s enthusiasm for Free Trade Agreements (FTAs)
defies economic logic in the context of current global  crises and
when countries eschew trade liberalisation and concentrate on revival
of domestic economies and creation of jobs, said State Planning Board
member K N Harilal.


He was speaking at the meeting jointly organised by the Kerala
Swatantra Matsya Thozilali Federation (KSMTF), South Indian
Coordination Committee of Farmers’ Movements (SICCFM) and Delhi-based
groups ‘Focus on the Global South’ and ‘Madhyam’ here the other day.

The meeting was organised in the context of the Union Government’s
decision to implement and negotiate more than 30 FTAs. Harilal said
that with the abrogation of the right to raise tariffs and the right
to intervene in the market on crucial issues such as finance,
agriculture and fisheries, the Centre was undermining the fundamentals
of the Indian Constitution.

Economist and author Kavaljit Singh from the Delhi-based Public
Interest Research Centre said that in a country with some 500 million
citizens without a bank account and 292 under-banked districts,
de-regulation of banking rules to facilitate the entry of more
European banks would undermine banking in the public sector and
financial inclusion.

Lawyer Kajal Bhardwaj from New Delhi said that European pharmaceutical
companies such as Bayer  were lobbying for patent rights for
life-saving drugs through the EU-India FTA which would make several
medicines out of the reach of common people.

KSMTF state president T Peter said that the fight against FTAs was not
a ‘sectoral fight’ by fish workers. Government employees, farmers,
workers of small and medium enterprises, dalits and adivasis should
come together to counter this anti-people pro-corporate agenda of the
Government.

"Only such a broad people’s alliance can win this fight," he said.

He further said that KSMTF  would reach out to other groups to have
more such regional meetings in South India in the near future.