Budget 2020: RSS-Affiliate SJM Says FDI In Education Will Lead To Westernisation

RSS-affiliate Swadeshi Jagran Manch (SJM) on Saturday opposed Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman's budget announcement that the government will encourage FDI in education, saying it is a "bad idea" and will lead to "westernisation" of education. Barring the promotion of FDI in education, SJM's co-convener Ashwani Mahajan appreciated the Budget 2020 proposals.

He praised the government for reviewing free-trade agreements, saying they were not in interest of the country. He said the 16-point action plan proposed in the Budget to create income and employment in rural areas, particularly in fisheries, horticulture and other non-farm activities, is a "welcome move".

"FDI in education is wrong. It is a bad idea and we oppose this proposal," Mahajan told PTI. "We should not allow foreigners to enter our education sector. This will lead to westernisation of education and will not be in national interest."

Presenting the Budget, Sitharaman said the government will encourage external commercial borrowings and FDI in education to finance infrastructure and to be able to deliver high-quality education. Mahajan said this was considered to be the “most difficult budget” of this decade but was presented in a confident manner.

A broad vision was seen in the form of provisions for corporate world, foreign investors, infrastructure, personal tax reforms etc. and also the efforts to increase the income of the common man and support the rural economy, he said.