Red Signal On Reforms

The commitment of Manmohan Singh's government to reforms isfaltering. First, there was the great Indian hesitation over thedivestment of a paltry 10 per cent of the government's 67.72 per centstake in BHEL. Now comes the decision to call off proposed strategicsale of equity in 13 profit-making public sector undertakings (PSUs).In the staring competition between the Congress and the Communistparties, the former seems to have blinked first. This, after thegovernment's mid-term appraisal (MTA) stressed that it would gothrough with the same. As signals go, this cannot be more confusing.Is the government committed to reforms and to disinvestment? From thepublic statements of Singh …