Spend It Like Sitharaman

Accusations Of Crony Capitalism, Upcoming Polls No Deterrent To Mega Divestment Drive

The politically bold Bud-get defied the punditry that aggressive protests against the agricultural laws have pushed the Modi government on the back foot, and that it would be wary of attempting another set of reforms.

The audacious intent to privatise loss-making public sector units, which continue to haemorrhage scarce public resources, seems to have surpassed even the imaginations of those who counselled Prime Minister Narendra Modi not to waste the crisis triggered by the Covid-19 pandemic. That Modi could get his finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman to take a stab at the political challenge at a time when he has been accused of crony capitalism and polls are looming in states with strong trade union presence make the effort even more spectacular.