11-17-2006, 03:38 AM
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The Pioneer Edit Desk
Government must trust India Inc
<b>The rejection by Indian business leaders of the Government proposal to draft a legislation making reservation in the private sector mandatory is based on sound reasons.</b> Indeed, the Government would be ill-advised to perceive the considered and collective response of India Inc as a gesture of defiance - as Minister for Commerce and Industries Kamal Nath seems to be doing - and issue provocative statements that could be construed as a threat to Indian business to sign on the dotted line, or else... For that would hardly work to the advantage of any section, leave aside the intended beneficiaries of affirmative action. After all, what is so contentious about India Inc calling for voluntary affirmative action? Why must everything in the country be legislated? Is there an absence of trust between the Government and India's internationally respected business leaders? Are Mr Kamal Nath and his supporting Ministers, Messrs Ram Vilas Paswan and AR Antulay, trying to tell the people that they cannot take such unimpeachable business leaders as Mr JJ Irani and Mr Rahul Bajaj, among a host of others, at their face value? It ought to be remembered that just one remark from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, that the industry must take steps in affirmative action for a more inclusive society, led the business leaders to set up the CII Affirmative Action Council working in tandem with ASSOCHAM. It would only be right if the political class acknowledged the promptness with which India Inc has responded and, instead of giving the impression that "Government knows best", and impelling many to recall the worst days of licence-permit raj, worked with the industry to find just, rational and the least disharmonious ways to uphold social justice. Striking combative postures on an issue as sensitive as this would be calamitous: <b>Quite apart from the fact that it will fly in the face of the liberalisation regime, whose chief architect is the Prime Minister himself, such a legislation will also lead to a virtual flight of capital and potential investments to other countries, for instance China</b>.
The Union Ministers in favour of legislation are sadly missing these points. For them, a piece of legislation - it doesn't really matter in what slipshod way if at all it's enacted, it's implemented or not implemented - is all that they need to go back to their voters and claim credit for unlimited proliferation of job reservation. Such <b>leaders must be told of more effective ways to encourage affirmative action. Why, for instance, can't incentives be given to private business houses to encourage the practice? Motivation is the key to effective leadership, and the Government, instead of appearing divided over the issue -</b> the Prime Minister has not exactly been bouncing off ultimatums to India Inc on a legislation for affirmative action as Mr Kamal Nath is doing - must work within the broad paradigm and contours of the liberalisation regime instead of going against it.
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The Pioneer Edit Desk
Government must trust India Inc
<b>The rejection by Indian business leaders of the Government proposal to draft a legislation making reservation in the private sector mandatory is based on sound reasons.</b> Indeed, the Government would be ill-advised to perceive the considered and collective response of India Inc as a gesture of defiance - as Minister for Commerce and Industries Kamal Nath seems to be doing - and issue provocative statements that could be construed as a threat to Indian business to sign on the dotted line, or else... For that would hardly work to the advantage of any section, leave aside the intended beneficiaries of affirmative action. After all, what is so contentious about India Inc calling for voluntary affirmative action? Why must everything in the country be legislated? Is there an absence of trust between the Government and India's internationally respected business leaders? Are Mr Kamal Nath and his supporting Ministers, Messrs Ram Vilas Paswan and AR Antulay, trying to tell the people that they cannot take such unimpeachable business leaders as Mr JJ Irani and Mr Rahul Bajaj, among a host of others, at their face value? It ought to be remembered that just one remark from Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, that the industry must take steps in affirmative action for a more inclusive society, led the business leaders to set up the CII Affirmative Action Council working in tandem with ASSOCHAM. It would only be right if the political class acknowledged the promptness with which India Inc has responded and, instead of giving the impression that "Government knows best", and impelling many to recall the worst days of licence-permit raj, worked with the industry to find just, rational and the least disharmonious ways to uphold social justice. Striking combative postures on an issue as sensitive as this would be calamitous: <b>Quite apart from the fact that it will fly in the face of the liberalisation regime, whose chief architect is the Prime Minister himself, such a legislation will also lead to a virtual flight of capital and potential investments to other countries, for instance China</b>.
The Union Ministers in favour of legislation are sadly missing these points. For them, a piece of legislation - it doesn't really matter in what slipshod way if at all it's enacted, it's implemented or not implemented - is all that they need to go back to their voters and claim credit for unlimited proliferation of job reservation. Such <b>leaders must be told of more effective ways to encourage affirmative action. Why, for instance, can't incentives be given to private business houses to encourage the practice? Motivation is the key to effective leadership, and the Government, instead of appearing divided over the issue -</b> the Prime Minister has not exactly been bouncing off ultimatums to India Inc on a legislation for affirmative action as Mr Kamal Nath is doing - must work within the broad paradigm and contours of the liberalisation regime instead of going against it.
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