Thrust in Railway budget towards privatisation: Left parties

Left parties in West Bengal today slammed Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee on the rail budget, saying the thrust has been given on privatisation.

"It is a mixed budget, but thrust has been given on privatisation. There is indication of partly privatising the Railways. We are against it," CPI-M politburo member and state secretary Biman Bose told reporters here while commenting on the Railway budget.

He also said that Banerjee had not mentioned anything on filling up of vacancies in the Railways.

Echoing a similar view, veteran Forward Bloc leader Ashok Ghose charged that though Banerjee talked of the poor, the rail budget was prepared in the "interest of the rich and capitalists in accordance with the policies of the Manmohan Singh government".

"The budget is a clear surrender to capitalists. Railway land is government property. She mentioned about public-private partnership in Railways. The land will be given to industrialists who will reap the benefits," he said.

Her talk of doing good for the poor was a "political gimmick", Ghose alleged.