Dunkel Draft Text- A Proposal for Economic Colonialism
This resolution was passed by Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha in 1994
The Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha takes strong exception to the consent given by the Government of India to sign the 8th round of GATT negotiations (Dunkel draft). It is the considered opinion of the pratinidhi Sabha that through this stand, the Government has betrayed the sovereign people of our country and pushed the country towards economic slavery. It will also harm our unique national identity and compromise our independence. On such a serious matter, neither importance was given to the opinion of experts nor an open debate was held in the Parliament. The Commerce Committee and the Standing Committee of the Parliament also refused to accept the proposals.
The implementation of the proposal would only accelerate the unrestricted entry of foreign companies, service organisations and foreign capital into the country, Further, the reduction in import duty on foreign goods would create a major crisis for the domestic industries. In the latest budget, the restructuring of excise duty on domestic goods and a further cut in import duty has helped to fill our markets with foreign goods.
The changes in our Patent Law, as proposed in the Dunkel Draft would land agriculture, animal husbandry, horticulture, pharmaceutical and other scientific research in grave peril. The country will become dependent on foreign companies in these spheres. The prices of medicines will go up manifold resulting the medical treatment becoming still more difficult in a poor country like India. The Government of India will not be able to decide the prices of agricultural produces, and the subsidies on fertilisers, seeds, power etc., will have to be cut down. The country will be compelled to import a staggering 5.5 million tonnes of food-grains. As a result, our agricultural production will be seriously impaired and our farmers facing a bleak future. The unemployment problem which, is already existing will be vastly aggravated.
With the coming of foreign companies into the services sector like banking, insurance, newspapers and transport, even the daily life and the cultural and intellectual climate of the country would come under the stranglehold of these giant foreign companies.
The foreign companies equipped with their huge publicity and propaganda engine will puff up consumerism the all destructive bane of western life style- and destroy our great holistic cultural values. The foreign institutions will get unfettered freedom to indulge in exploitation of the country. The natural resources will gradually drift into the hands of the foreigners. The country will be forced to amend all it’s laws relating to banking, insurance, services, patent, and industry. It would be a matter of utter disgrace that the accused will have to prove his innocence in foreigners courts.
It is our country’s misfortune that our Government, which is neither competent to effect favourable changes in the proposals nor put up strong resistance to them, is falsely projecting the proposals as being beneficial for the country, being scared of an open debate on them.
It is a matter of satisfaction that farmers, traders, students, worker’s, consumers, scientists and environmentalists all over the country are active in exposing the real ugly face of the Dunkel proposals and and opposing them. The conspiracy to mortgage the sovereignty of the country must be resisted with full vigour and from every quarter.
The Pratinidhi Sabha calls upon the Government to respond to the country’s enraged feelings over the matter and refuse to sign the proposals and make infructuous the imperialistic conspiracy of bringing the country under the clutches of economic colonialism. Several countries of the world are resisting the bullying tactics of United States of America through the backdoor of the Dunkel Proposals. In fact, India should have led the developing countries for being saved from this crisis. But the Government of such a great nation, as ours, by not fulfilling its obligation, has not only belied their expectations but has demonstrated it’s own weakness. Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha also demands the Government to publish a White Paper on GATT rounds (Since 1982).
The Sabha is of the opinion that the vow of Swadeshi and intense nationalism alone can provide self-reliance and self-respect to the country. India had carried on its struggle of Independence against Foreign domination on the basis of these very lofty ideals. The enormous latent energies of the people will certainly get roused when this goal is pursued.
The Pratinidhi Sabha appeals to the people of our country to symbolically display the Swadeshi spirit by boycotting the foreign consumer products such as Coca-Cola, Pepsi-cola, Colgate and actively participate in all the nationalist actions and campaigns of Swadeshi Jagarana movement and thereby strengthen the Swadeshi spirit. The expression of people’s indomitable nationalist power alone can save the future generations of Bharat from conspiracy of imperialists.
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Swadeshi campaign
This resolution was passed by Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha in 1995
The ABPS gratefully acknowledges the extra-ordinary response from the people of Bharat for the Swadeshi Abhiyan undertaken through the Swadeshi Jagarana Manch.
The response was particularly overwhelming from students, youth, women and rural people. The campaign was supported by the people breaking the walls of provincial, linguistic, religious and political differences.
This popular campaign led to the public expectations from all parts of the country that it must continue. The people also felt that the availability and quality of Swadeshi goods must improve and their prices should be competitive. The highlight of the Swadeshi campaign was the fact that it could reach as many as 1.77.000 villages and the message could be transmitted to over 2.25 crore people through over 1.22.000 public meetings in rural and urban areas.
There is increasing public awareness about the adverse effect of inviting multi-nationals on preferred basis in such crucial sectors as small-scale industry, fishermen, weavers, media, energy, telecommunications and those affected by such MNC invasion are agitated over the issue. What happened in Mexico because of similar liberalisation polices is known to everyone. And yet the corrupt and weak government is compromising the political and economic Independence of the people of Bharat. This government has. bypassing the parliament and the people of India acquiesced in amending the Patent law by a surreptitious ordinance and has also joined WTO without any mandate from the people.
It is evident that there is no alternative to Swadeshi and nationalism to successfully meet this challenge. Only the life-style and economic policies that are rooted in the heritage and values of this ancient nation can ensure its self reliance, prosperity and independence. To achieve this end as follow-up of the Swadeshi Abhiyan. the Pratinidhi Sabha calls for the following course of actions.
1.To ensure the availability of Swadeshi goods. Swadeshi shops and Swadeshi corners should be opened.
2.Training should be imparted for manufacture of Swadeshi goods at local level and arrangements should be made for their distribution and sale .
3.The consumer should be persuaded to prefer the goods manufactured by Khadi Gramodyog. cottage industries and traditional craftsmen.
4.The local manufacturer should be persuaded and even pressurised to maintain the quality of the Swadeshi goods and not to increase their prices.
5.The local entrepreneurs should be persuaded and and public awareness and conscience should be aroused to ensure that the Swadeshi companies are not sold to multi-nationals.
6.The struggles of the farmers, fishermen, weavers and energy sector against the MNCs should be actively supported.
7.In the coming days the course of action decided upon by the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch should be fully supported to ensure that the designs of MNCs and their surrogates in Bharat are successfully thwarted.
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Swadeshi
This resolution was passed by Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha in 1996
It is a matter of satisfaction for the Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha that during the last four years, there is a growing awareness among our countrymen about the propriety and inevitability of Swadeshi Movement for safeguarding our independence and sovereignty and ensuring all round well being of our poorer sections.
But during the same period the economic aggression of foreign capital is being dangerously intensified with the active assistance of the powers that be,
The casual way in which the official panel on the fast track power projects has dealt with the problem has shocked the nation. According to an independent and objective estimate, this casualness will cause a net loss of Rs. 50,000 crores to the country. The case of other power projects is no better.
Because of the permission of the Government for the entry of foreign fishing companies for the purpose of deep sea fishing, seven and half million fishermen are on the verge of starvation. They have registered their powerful protest against the official policy by undertaking a. successful “MATSYA RAKSHA JALA YATRA” from Porbandar to Thiruvannthapuram and from Kakdip to Kakinada.
It is a happy co-incidence that the recommendations of the Murari Committee appointed by the government in this regard almost coincide with the demands of the fishermen. However, it appears that the Government has turned a deaf ear to the recommendations of the committee appointed by itself.
The concession given by the Central Government to Indian & foreign cigarette companies to manufacture small cigarette is bound to throw out of employment over one crores of people dependent for their livelihood on the beedi industries and tribals engaged in collecting Tendu Patta. These hapless people form a big chunk of our unorganised sector.
On one side the cultivation of the low priced quality pulses are banned and on the other side Australian farmers are given contracts to produce pulses for export to India. This is a very grave example of how we are fast losing self sufficiency even in the vital food grain sector.
After capturing consumer goods market the Multinationals are preparing to enter in a big way our educational field- by establishing a number of educational institutions. This is bound to cause self-alienation of young impressionable minds and help the process of Western Cultural domination over the rising generation. It is a conspiracy being hatched by the foreign capital with the active and indiscriminate co-operation of the rulers of the country.
It is thus obvious that our patriotic people have to further intensify and accelerate the Swadeshi Movement in order to frustrate all such evil designs and save our national security and sovereignty.
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Second War of Independence
This resolution was passed by Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha in 1997
The Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha expresses its serious concern about the drift in the Indian economic situation in the name of liberalisation and globalisation. An indication of such a drift is quite evident by the statements made in England and America by our Finance Minister, in which he has extended warm invitation to trans-national companies to invest money in Bharat and reap profits uninhibited, just like the predecessor East India Company. A.B.P.S. feels that such an exhortation is a humiliation and insult to all those freedom fighters who had struggled long and hard and laid down their lives with a view to putting an end to the British colonial regime and East India Company which had jointly bled and impoverished our country. It is a mockery of all those nationalist entrepreneurs and industrialists who strove hard with all their resources, skill and courage, inspired by the spirit of Swadeshi in those adverse days of colonial oppression.
This kind of invitation also amounts to dishonouring the talents, intellect and achievements in recent and present times as well as of our scientists viz. nuclear explosion without foreign assistance, building our own super-computers, launching successfully the missiles ‘Agni’ and ‘Prithvi’, setting the satellites in orbit, flying our own bomber jets, producing cryogenic engines entirely on our own. This shameless attitude is nothing else but the result of inferiority complex imbibed by our leaders because of Macaulay’s system of education which has distorted their mind into believing that this nation cannot progress without the crutches of foreign capital and technology. A.B.P.S. holds this defeatist mentality as the one biggest hurdle in the all-round progress of our nation.
Because of this mind set alone, the Indian Government has signed the GATT Agreement, though till now good luck has prevailed that this agreement has not been ratified by the Indian Parliament. Though the Indian Government had declared from the house tops on time and again that in no case would they allow any new aspects for discussion at the Ministerial Conference scheduled to be held at Singapore. However, the Government has affixed its signature without batting an eyelid on such an agreement which would certainly endanger the economic sovereignty of our nation.
As per this Agreement any MNC can establish industry in any sector in any member country of WTO and the host country will have to compulsorily not only permit but also extend all facilities and treatment to them at par with the local ones. Resultantly, MNCs can bring capital from abroad at an interest rate of 7-8%, enter the consumer market and capture the markets by devouring all domestic companies which will have to raise capital at an interest rate of 15-18%. Even now this development is very much in vogue in some sectors for the benefit of foreign companies. Indian Government has not only opened up hitherto reserved items viz. cereals, rice, poultry feed, biscuits, cold-drinks, ice-creams etc., for foreign participation but has expressed it’s willingness to accept phase-wise 75% foreign equity in these sectors too. This detrimental step will, in turn, strangulate our small scale industries which presently provide employment to 3 crores of our countrymen. It is amusing to note that those very leftists who used to tom tom about their commitment to the interests of labourers have lodged just fake protest against these hurting provisions which promote the interests of foreign companies and also aggravate unemployment and have ultimately succumbed to serving their own petty partisan ends.
A.B.P.S. also takes serious note of one more adverse impact of the Singapore Declaration. As a result of this agreement, the Government would have to import, irrespective of national needs, food grains up to 3% of total national consumption, much against the interests of Indian farmers. Recently, the United Front Government has, under foreign pressure, exported wheat at the rate of Rs. 740/- per quintal and sold it in the market at a subsidised rate.
After the Patents Laws, which are in the offing, come into effect, Indian farmers would become increasingly dependent on MNCs for seeds and would have to pay the price as dictated by the foreign companies. Foreign companies may well try to monopolise the market of herbs and medicines whereby prices of medicines will shoot up manifold. Bio-diversity will also be immensely damaged. Only a few varieties of hybrid seeds will thrive destroying thousands of varieties of national plants and organisms.
A.B.P.S. is gravely concerned about the undue haste exhibited in permitting indiscriminately the foreign companies to enter the field of infra-structure like energy, telecommunications etc., posing a serious threat to Indian interests. In the power sector, though BHEL, because of its high standards of technological expertise and efficiency, has been successfully competing and garnering many prized contracts abroad also, the Government has cold-shouldered it and is inviting foreign companies in that sector by providing 16% counter-guarantee benefits etc.. The Government is engaged surreptitiously in selling away other successful plants and companies also, one of the recent victims being the mammoth power project at Anpara in Uttar Pradesh. The experience of Algeria in this regard should serve as a grim warning in this regard. The Algerian Government had to throw out the concerned foreign tele-communication company canceling all the previous contracts, since it used to pass on to France all information concerning the cabinet decisions with in half an hour.
Once again, the A.B.P.S. alerts the nation about the international institutional arrangements like World Bank, International Monetary Fund, World Trade Organisation etc. which are only instruments to capture the resources and markets of Third World Countries and hand them over to the super-powers to save their decaying capitalist economies. The strategy starts with offering of loans in the name of development, and dictate terms after making such countries thoroughly indebted. India is already groaning under a heavy load of foreign debt to the tune of 3 lakh crores of Rupees.
A.B.P.S. demands:
- That foreign companies should not be encouraged and promoted at the cost of Indian talent and capability not only in the consumer sector but also in fields such as Energy, Communication, Mining, Insurance, Agriculture, Atomic Energy etc., and also in the field of culture and education.
- That there be moratorium on incurring further foreign loans under Article 292 of Indian Constitution.
- That a Commission for controlling foreign influence be constituted which should publish a comprehensive paper within 3 months on the impact of foreign influence in various spheres of Indian economy viz., foreign capital, technology, management, etc.
The Pratinidhi Sabha exhorts all our patriotic countrymen to fully participate in this Second War of Independence by mounting organised resistances against which are tendencies pushing the country into the abyss of economic subjugation. The Pratinidhi Sabha also appeals to our countrymen to defeat the machinations of foreign forces by reviving in our lives the Mantra of ‘Be Swadeshi, Buy Swadeshi. It also appeals to our nationalist intelligentsia to take initiative in evolving an alternative model of development conducive to our Indian ethos, traditional genius and talent after a thorough national debate on the ‘Swadeshi Concept of Development’.
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Resolution-3
This resolution was passed by Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal (executive body) in 1997
The ABKM compliments the Govt. of Bharat for standing up to the pressures of the affluent countries at the meeting of the World Trade Organization, recently held on 30th June at Geneva. basing their arguments on the dubious improvement in the balance of payment (BoP) position, the developed countries were demanding the removal of non-tariff barriers on 4,500 items, most of them in the agricultural and consumer sectors and open up for free trade within the next two years.
During 1994-95, because of adverse (BoP) position, our country had acquired the legal right to impose tariff and non-tariff barriers on the amount of their imports till the situation improved. But unfortunately, the Govt. acted against its own interests when this year it abdicated that right by declaring that the BoP position had turned favorable which, however, is the other way round. Because of a decline in exports and increase in imports, the current account is already in deficit. One cannot also rule out the possibility of the loans of the NRIs being withdrawn any time. As for the capital account, in spite of the Govt. approving a large number of foreign projects, only 12 to 14% of them have been subscribed in the past five years. Therefore the reserve of 25-26 billion dollars cannot be considered entirely reliable.
The ABKM strongly urges upon the Govt. not to retract from the 9 years time limit which it has demanded to completely remove the restrictions on the above items and in no case handover right to decide upon the items to be de-restricted to other countries. Otherwise it would not only prove detrimental to the interests of the farmers and small scale industrialists but may also adversely affect our BoP position.
Similarly, after the ratification of the GATT treaty after the 8th round, because Bharat has not effected the necessary changes in its patent law, the developed countries are exerting pressure on our country to grant exclusive marketing rights to their companies to sell their pharmaceutical and agro-chemical products. The ABKM urges upon the Govt. not to grant them such rights and refuse to succumb to their pressures; for, otherwise the prices of these commodities will rise sky-high.
Plants and microbes have also been brought into the ambit of patent laws. The criminal negligence of the Govt. of Bharat in enacting a suitable legislation to protect our bio-resources has resulted in the piracy of 90% of our 45,000 plant and 95,000 animal species by U.S.A. which is going on patenting them gradually. Curiously enough, our Govt. has not even cared to assert its sovereign rights over our biological resources, which it had acquired by ratifying the convention on bio-diversity. Instead, like the proverbial ‘thief crying out thief, thief,’ the U.S.A. is holding Bharat responsible for the infringement of its patent laws. If Bharat is really alive towards it rights, it can claim an amount of 1000 billion dollars from America for its pirated biological wealth. The ABKM exhorts the Govt. to enact, without further delay, proper legislation to safeguard the bio-diversity of the country. It also urges it not to fall a prey to the allurements and machinations of the MNCs and the international organisations, but take decisions exclusively on the touchstone of national interest.
It needs no reiteration that for backing the Govt. for those policies which serve national interests and to restrain it from acting to the contrary, a powerful enlightened public opinion is a must. The ABKM exhorts the intelligentsia as also the Swayamsevaks to actively engage themselves in the task of educating our people in this direction.
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Resolutions of WTO (World Trade Organization)
This resolution was passed by Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha in 1998
Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha of R.S.S. has expressed its grave apprehensions from time to time about the WTO and unfortunately these are now turning out to be true.
The so called “Asian Tigers” of south east and east Asia are in deep crisis with the currency market tumoil, capital market collapse, destruction of banking and financial institutions and overall decay of their economics. These are eye openers to all. These battered countries are once again at the doors of IMF and World Bank begging for a bailout package.
The irony is that the IMF/ WB/MNC axis is now putting all the blame for this disaster on the incompetence of the concerned governments. While the fact is that these institutions were citing these very countries as models of developments just a few months back. As if this is not enough they are even daring to pressurise candidates in the South Korean election to express approval of detrimental IMF conditionalities. This is a clear interference in the internal affairs of that country and constricts its sovereignty.
Bharat may not be in such a bad condition today due to its large size and largely agrarian and self-reliant economy, but some signals of similar happenings are beginning to show up. hi the name of TRIPS, WTO is preparing a ground for the exploitation of world resources e.g. through patenting of Neem, Haldi & Basmati rice, etc. Whereas Government could not get Neem patents revoked due to its neglect of the entire affair, it proved effective in annulling patent of Haldi due to alert action. Now there is a controversy over the patent of Basmati. Many such issues are bound to come up. There is an urgent need to take effective steps keeping in view the need of affordable medicines, right to health care, protecting interests of farmers and bio-diversity and right to food.
It is also now clear that the expanding activities of MNC’s under the provisions of WTO has started adversely affecting local agriculture and industry, particularly small, medium and agro-industries as well as financial activities. Also this, by adding to the existing unemployment, inequalities and rising prices, is pushing the country towards economic dependence on outside powers. By raising unrelated new non-trade issues like social clause, environment, human rights etc. and undue pressure is being built up on developing countries. In a similar vein, the social and cultural values are being systematically undermined through the medium of advertisements.
Hence it is the considered opinion of ABPS that the gravity of the situation should be realised by all the sections of society and by rising over all sorts of differences, we should chalk out an effective strategy at national as well as international level, hi this context the following steps may be taken.
1) As a national endeavour, we must try to organise all developing countries to stand up to and fight the economic imperialism of WTO, G-7 countries, MNCs, World Bank and IMF. hi this regard an effective strategy on behalf of all developing countries shall be in place well before the scheduled comprehensive review of WTO due next year.
2) An effective system of moni toring and efficient action has to be quickly put in place to overview the control of foreign investment and if necessary its channelisation towards the national priority areas. We should also guard against transfer of resources from local banks and insurance companies to the foreign institutions.
3) Amendment of Indian Patent Act of 1970 on the lines of TRIPS, plant breeders rights, trademarks etc., should not be car ried out without detailed study by a high level committee of local experts. We have also to ensure that in the name of patents, we do not allow or encourage monopolies. The farmers should not be deprived of the traditional knowledge, crops, flora and fauna which otherwise may mean a licence for free loot of world resources. Seeds, agricul tural practices, bioresources and life forms shall be outside the pur view of patents.
4) Similarly, our traditional medicinal system also be beyond the purview of patents.
5) During the last few years the then Central Governments have unwisely reduced the average external tariff protection to only 30%. This is below the 40% level prom ised by Government of India to WTO. Several products were removed from quantitative restric tions. As a result of this, many major industries such as cement, steel etc., as well as SSIs are in the crisis mode. Hence ABPS appeals to the Central Government that it should order a comprehen sive review of all such policies in the national interest without succumbing to pressure and take effective steps to counter the vicious circle of the baneful effects of WTO.
6) Urgent steps should also be taken to avoid the possibility of currency turbulence by foreign currency traders for maximising their profits, giving a rude shock to national economy.
The ABPS also appeals to the enlightened citizens of the country to offer their services to carry out a deep study of the ill effects of WTO and chalk out a counter strategy as well as join in the public awareness campaign.
The ABPS appeals to all fellow countrymen that they resolve to buckup themselves with all their resources, knowledge and energy to sustain and add to the self respect, sovereignty, natural endowments, self reliance and economic prosperity of the country. All of us shall be willingly ready for the necessary sacrfices, as and when called for, towards this noble goal.
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Subject: Swadeshi
– This resolution was passed by Akhil Bharatiya Karyakari Mandal (executive body) in 1998
It is well known that the R. S. S. has always been in favour of Swadeshi which connotes self reliance and economic independence. Therefore, the ABKM regards as improper the Central Govt’s decision to open the Insurance Sector for direct foreign investment. It is also beyond the comprehension of the ABKM why 100% FDI is allowed in the production of cigarettes which is likely to throw out lakhs of labourers engaged in the ‘bidi’ industry out of their livelihood and why iodized salt is being made compulsory which will make the common man pay more than four times the price of common salt.
The ABKM feels that the Central Govt. being overwhelmed by constraints of immediacy, is ignoring the long term implications of such policies. We are witnessing how some Asian countries, who had allowed unrestricted foreign capital, have had their economic structure shattered and are, consequently, entrapped in continuous economic crises. Their experience should really be a lesson for us.
The ABKM, therefore, implores the Govt. to rethink about its decision regarding FDI in the Insurance Sector, scrap the ban on sale of common salt and drop the decision to allow 100% FDI in cigarette manufacture. This would only mean that the government intends to honour the Swadeshi mandate that it has received from the people of Bharat.
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Review of the Provisions of W.T.O.
This resolution was passed by Akhil Bharatiya Pratinidhi Sabha in 1999
The ABPS heartily welcomes the initiative taken by our Prime Minister at the recently held conference of G-15 (Developing Countries) in Jamaica, by declaring that Bharat would propose, with the cooperation of other developing countries, suitable amendments and changes in those provision of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which are detrimental to the sovereignty and interest of such nations.
Tragic Experience of Developing Countries:
Many of the apprehensions aired by knowledgeable persons and organisations at the time of the formation of WTO have come out to be true during the last four years of its existence. The shattered economies of the Southeast Asian countries have thoroughly exposed the hollowness of the W.T.O. and other multilateral agencies, claim that their prescription would result in a faster economic growth. The way the different member countries have been arm-twisted and bullied into making amendments in their patent laws and have been an aggression on their sovereignty. At the same time, the manner in which the developed countries behave to protect their own interests has been made amply clear by the example of America which has declared that in case of any conflict between the provisions of the W.T.O. and the American laws, the latter will prevail. However, America is not ready to extent the same right to other countries, so much so that even European Common Market has complained against this in the Disputes-Redressal-Tribunal. All these things fortify the suspicion, nursed by the developing countries, that the purpose of the creation of the W.T.O. is only to further the interests of the developed countries at the cost of the developing countries.
Conspiracy of Developed Nations:
The A.B.P.S. wants to draw the attention of our people, as also of the Govt, to one more aspect of the issue. The developed countries, in order to enable their gigantic M.N.Cs., to envelop the whole of world trade, are trying to destroy the bio-diversity of other countries and acquire global patents for only a few hybrid varieties of their own. They are also, by manufacturing terminal seeds, conspiring to make the agriculture of developing countries wholly subservient to them. The fatal consequences of some of these experiments are best illustrated by scores of farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Punjab taking recourse to suicides in order to escape form their indebtedness.
With a view to establishing, economic cum cultural imperialism by the affluent countries over the rest of the world, even the modes of eating, drinking and clothing of the latter are sought to be changed. Towards this purpose, the fast developing Information Technology is being freely put to use; efforts are also being made to create a mindset attuned to their commercial interests, through high-profile propaganda. Under the Bharatiya Constitution, the right of freedom of expression is rightly limited to the citizens of Bharat. Therefore, foreign TV channels operating in Bharat cannot have, and should not be allowed to enjoy that right. As such, all such channels should be dealt with as per the Constitution of our country. Moreover, preparations are afoot to launch a concerted onslaught on the cultural values and life-ideals of other nations by injecting decrepit consumerist life styles directly into the latter’s homes by the Direct To Home (DTH) TV There is yet another risky factor involved in this DTH affair, which should not be lost sight of; i.e., it may be misused for espionage activities by inimical foreign powers by enabling them to have direct contact with their spies and fifth columnists in our country through certain secret channels.
Quintessence of Bharatiya Culture:
The A.B.P.S. is of the firm opinion that the beauty of creation lies in its diversity manifest in every one of its aspects and the quintessence of Bharatiya Culture lies in realising the unity inherent in it. Therefore, any effort to force all the diversities in the global culture into a single uniform mould will be destroying the very structure of nature. At the same time, encouraging unrestricted consumption, on the background of limited world resources, will only result in all round conflicts and eventual destruction of all life.
Appeal to the Government:
The A.B.P.S. urges the Govt. to keep these aspects in mind while re-negotiating the provisions of the W.T.O. and bringing about appropriate amendments in them so as to create an to create an egalitarian and exploitation-free system conducive to the holistic life-style of a world family in place of cut-throat competitive style of world market.
The A.B.P.S. appeals to all political parties to rise above partisan considerations, evolve a consensus in the defence of sovereignty, and educate the people about the hazards of unevenly balanced W.T.O. functioning.
The ABPS heartily welcomes the initiative taken by our Prime Minister at the recently held conference of G-15 (Developing Countries) in Jamaica, by declaring that Bharat would propose, with the cooperation of other developing countries, suitable amendments and changes in those provision of the World Trade Organisation (WTO) which are detrimental to the sovereignty and interest of such nations.
Tragic Experience of Developing Countries:
Many of the apprehensions aired by knowledgeable persons and organisations at the time of the formation of WTO have come out to be true during the last four years of its existence. The shattered economies of the Southeast Asian countries have thoroughly exposed the hollowness of the W.T.O. and other multilateral agencies, claim that their prescription would result in a faster economic growth. The way the different member countries have been arm-twisted and bullied into making amendments in their patent laws and have been an aggression on their sovereignty. At the same time, the manner in which the developed countries behave to protect their own interests has been made amply clear by the example of America which has declared that in case of any conflict between the provisions of the W.T.O. and the American laws, the latter will prevail. However, America is not ready to extent the same right to other countries, so much so that even European Common Market has complained against this in the Disputes-Redressal-Tribunal. All these things fortify the suspicion, nursed by the developing countries, that the purpose of the creation of the W.T.O. is only to further the interests of the developed countries at the cost of the developing countries.
Conspiracy of Developed Nations:
The A.B.P.S. wants to draw the attention of our people, as also of the Govt, to one more aspect of the issue. The developed countries, in order to enable their gigantic M.N.Cs., to envelop the whole of world trade, are trying to destroy the bio-diversity of other countries and acquire global patents for only a few hybrid varieties of their own. They are also, by manufacturing terminal seeds, conspiring to make the agriculture of developing countries wholly subservient to them. The fatal consequences of some of these experiments are best illustrated by scores of farmers in Andhra Pradesh and Punjab taking recourse to suicides in order to escape form their indebtedness.
With a view to establishing, economic cum cultural imperialism by the affluent countries over the rest of the world, even the modes of eating, drinking and clothing of the latter are sought to be changed. Towards this purpose, the fast developing Information Technology is being freely put to use; efforts are also being made to create a mindset attuned to their commercial interests, through high-profile propaganda. Under the Bharatiya Constitution, the right of freedom of expression is rightly limited to the citizens of Bharat. Therefore, foreign TV channels operating in Bharat cannot have, and should not be allowed to enjoy that right. As such, all such channels should be dealt with as per the Constitution of our country. Moreover, preparations are afoot to launch a concerted onslaught on the cultural values and life-ideals of other nations by injecting decrepit consumerist life styles directly into the latter’s homes by the Direct To Home (DTH) TV There is yet another risky factor involved in this DTH affair, which should not be lost sight of; i.e., it may be misused for espionage activities by inimical foreign powers by enabling them to have direct contact with their spies and fifth columnists in our country through certain secret channels.
Quintessence of Bharatiya Culture:
The A.B.P.S. is of the firm opinion that the beauty of creation lies in its diversity manifest in every one of its aspects and the quintessence of Bharatiya Culture lies in realising the unity inherent in it. Therefore, any effort to force all the diversities in the global culture into a single uniform mould will be destroying the very structure of nature. At the same time, encouraging unrestricted consumption, on the background of limited world resources, will only result in all round conflicts and eventual destruction of all life.
Appeal to the Government:
The A.B.P.S. urges the Govt. to keep these aspects in mind while re-negotiating the provisions of the W.T.O. and bringing about appropriate amendments in them so as to create an to create an egalitarian and exploitation-free system conducive to the holistic life-style of a world family in place of cut-throat competitive style of world market.
The A.B.P.S. appeals to all political parties to rise above partisan considerations, evolve a consensus in the defence of sovereignty, and educate the people about the hazards of unevenly balanced W.T.O. functioning.