Devil's Advocate: Kamal Nath

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Devil's Advocate: Kamal Nath

In an exclusive interview with Karan Thapar on Devil's Advocate, Minister of Industry and Commerce Kamal Nath discusses issues like Nandigram violence, SEZs and FDI in retail sector.

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Karan Thapar: But your objectives are achieved. You don’t need to make it an objective.

Kamal Nath: The government is responsible to the people of the country. We have to respond to every sections of society. So where is the problem if they are doing it. I would say if you are doing something you are doing in any case then you would come back and say please make it mandatory because we are doing it.

Karan Thapar: The reason why this issue emerges is because the Prime Minister at the CII conference in April specifically called upon industry to make itself more representative of Society. He called upon industry to take affirmative measures to make its employment more representative of the profile of the society. I am now saying it to you that not only these industries already doing it but your figures NSSO 1999 prove that there are. So there was no need for the Prime Minister to make this call.

Kamal Nath:I really think that in industry, as you said, I am industry's minister and industry has not told me this. They may have come and told you this but they have discussed this with me.

Karan Thapar: Even if industry has not told you this, the NSSO is the government organisation NSSO 1999 are government figures, are you not aware of them?

Kamal Nath:I am aware of them. But in what context is it. I really don’t think there is any confusion in this. My context is that growth and development is to be all inclusive. You take one district and you say this is happening. Is it happening everywhere?

Karan Thapar: Yes these NSSO figures are nationwide.

Kamal Nath:Your figures are inaccurate.

Karan Thapar: They are not my figures, they are your figures.

Kamal Nath:That’s what you are saying.

Karan Thapar: They are the national sample survey figures 1999. They are available from the government. They are authenticated by the government. They are disseminated by the government.

Kamal Nath:That's what you are saying.

Karan Thapar: That's not what I am saying, that's what the government is saying.

Kamal Nath: That's what you are saying what the government is saying. That's not what I am saying and that's not what NSSO saying.

Karan Thapar: It seems that you don't know the NSSO figures.

Kamal Nath: It seems to me that what you read, you do not reflect in the context in which it is.

Karan Thapar: When you distrust the NSSO figures ....

Kamal Nath: I am not distrusting NSSO figures. Do you think the government is off its head? We have been winning elections.

Karan Thapar: Well, I am not sure if the government is off its head. I won't presume to make the judgment. But I am indicating to you that when the Prime Minister makes a call on the industry to make its profile more representative of society, he seems to be unaware of the fact that industry is already doing it. And your figures prove it.

Kamal Nath: Certainly not. Our figures do not prove it.

Karan Thapar: Your figures do not prove it? So you are dissociating yourself from NSSO?

Kamal Nath: I am not dissociating. Our figures do not prove it. I am the industry minister. I am telling you on record our figures do not prove it, Finished.

Karan Thapar: So what are you saying about NSSO? That is wrong?