Anand Sharma hits out at govt over 'grand clearance sale' of national assets during pandemic

The coronavirus pandemic does not give the government any authorisation to destroy parliamentary democracy and embark on a "grand clearance sale" of national assets and resources, Congress leader Anand Sharma said on Saturday.

His reaction came after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman unveiled a series of long-pending reforms for the defence sector which included making provisions for separate budgetary outlay to procure Indian-made military hardware, increasing the FDI limit and generating a year-wise negative list of weapons which can't be imported.

The Congress leader said such decisions require a broader national consensus, and sought a national debate on it.

"Corona pandemic and lock-down does not give government any authorisation to destroy Parliamentary democracy and embark on a grand clearance sale of national assets and resources," the former Union minister said on Twitter.

"My question to PM Narendra Modi is: whether opening up of defence, Airspace and Aerospace to foreign companies will make a Aatm Nirbhar Bharat? Let there be a national debate," he said.

Sharma said taking sensitive and strategic policy decisions that have a direct bearing on national security and self reliance without a broader national consensus raises fundamental questions.

"Does the government have a mandate to take arbitrary decisions that will have far reaching implications," he asked.

Sitharaman, a former defence minister, also announced corporatisation of the Ordnance Factory Board, a nearly 200-year-old organisation that operates 41 ammunition production facilities across the country. The decision is aimed at enhancing efficiency in functioning of the organisation.