'Swadeshi views are nationally welcomed today'

Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, he said the policy makers were propagating American model as the best model for India in early 1990s, but the same people have come to a conclusion that India should become the centre for Indians. “We with Swadeshi views were being branded as bullock cart economists in those days, but of late, our critics have realised that the national economy cannot be stabilised without stabilising the local economy,” he noted.

“Economic meltdown largely affected only those economies which are dependent on other countries. Those who depended on domestic trade were not affected much. Now, even America has gone Swadeshi with President Barack Obama appealing Americans to “Be American, buy American”. America’s outward looking policy has failed,” Gurumurthy analysed.

Stating that the indigenous savings have considerably increased in India, he said only increased savings can prevent entry of foreign capital into the country. “The people’s savings formed just 23 per cent of the GDP in 1993-94, which raised to 38 pc in 2008,” he pointed out.

“There was a time when India depended on foreign aid for each and every project, but now the situation has changed a lot. It is certain that India can be built only by its own people,” he added.

Answering a question, he said Swadeshi does not mean opposing everything that is foreign, but making policies in the larger national interest. He said the Manch is now concentrating on strengthening local economy.

“When there is a competition between a national firm and a local unit, we support the local one. We are pressurising the municipal corporations not to permit bigger malls in the city limits which harm the interests of local retail traders,” he said. Gurumurthy also said there has been no systematic research on indigenous economic model in India.
J R Bangera and Jagadish of Swadeshi Jagaran Manch were present.

DH News Service