Sonia Gandhi said, “Those who don’t understand the real meaning of corporatization…. It is actually the first step towards privatisation.” Sonia Gandhi said, “Those who don’t understand the real meaning of corporatization…. It is actually the first step towards privatisation.”

Opposing a railway ministry proposal to corporatize its production units, including the Modern Coach Factory (MCF) in her Lok Sabha constituency of Rae Bareli, Congress leader and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi Tuesday alleged that it was the “first step” towards their privatisation.

“Those who don’t understand the real meaning of corporatization…. It is actually the first step towards privatisation. They are selling the country’s assets to a handful of private players at a throwaway price. This will leave thousands unemployed,” Gandhi said.

She accused the government of selling the country’s assets to private players at a throwaway price. It was a rare instance when Gandhi raised an issue during the Zero Hour in Lok Sabha.

Soon after Sonia raised the issue during the Zero Hour, the Railways refuted her charge and said the factory will remain under government control.

Maintaining its ground that “corporatization was not privatisation”, a railways official said, “What railways means by corporatization is making a government PSU – the Indian Railway Rolling Stock Company- under the Ministry of Railways and shifting the production units including MCF, Rae Bareli to it.”

“This means they will remain under government control but will be better managed as these productions will become fully functional PSUs. This will help drive technology partnership and modernisation,” the official said.

Taking a dig at the government, she said the unit was started during the UPA regime to promote “make in India”, which has been taken up by the Modi government. She further said that the MCF is the most modern factory of the Indian Railways and manufactures best coaches at cheapest rates.

“The government has invested heavily in it (MCF). It is difficult to understand why the government wants to resort to corporatization,” she said. The future of 2,000 workers remains uncertain due to the government’s move. The primary job of the PSU is welfare of the people and not to benefit capitalists, she said.

Gandhi also criticised the government for stopping the practice of having a separate railway budget. She also highlighted the condition of Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd, Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd and Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd.

“Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru had termed Public Sector Undertakings as temples of modern India. Today, it is sad to see that these temples are under threat,” she said.

Since 2014, the factory has in fact doubled production almost every year: 140 coaches in 2014-15, 285 in 2015-16, 576 in 2016-17, 711 in 2017-18. It is expected to produce 1,425 coaches in 2018-19. The target for this year is 2,158 coaches.

(With PTI inputs)

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