CPM general secretary M A Baby termed as "noteworthy" and "commendable" Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's attack on crony capitalism. Baby was speaking at the last day of Manorama Hortus on Sunday at the session titled 'Why Left'.

He said neither he nor his party had any difficulty in appreciating certain positions taken by Rahul Gandhi. "One example is his repeated assertions that the BJP rule is for Adani and Ambani," Baby told Manorama News editor Johny Lukose.

Even while expressing admiration for Rahul, the CPM general secretary sought to differentiate between Rahul and the Congress. "But Congress as a party has not taken a stand against crony capitalism. In fact, it was the Congress under Narasimha Rao that laid the ground for Modi and Amit Shah to give Adani and Ambani a free run," Baby said, and added: "But even when Congress was reluctant to question crony capitalism, Rahul Gandhi did. The party Polituburo had discussed about this. That is why I am stating this openly."

"So can it be said that Rahul Gandhi is taking a Left position," Baby was asked. "That we will have to discuss," Baby said, implying Rahul's Left credentials were suspect. 

He gave the example of Rahul's position on Hindu Rashtra. "He opposed Hindu Rashtra, but said that he was all for Hindu Rajya. Rahul Gandhi was trying to make a philosophical distinction, but still he was talking about a Hindu country," Baby said. The fact is, Rahul has not spoken of Hindu Rajya. He has only tried to differentiate between the Sangh Parivar construct of 'Hindutva' and 'Hinduism'. 

Despite his suspicion, Baby said that Rahul's critique of crony capitalism when the Congress party was silent on the issue was "noteworthy and commendable". 

"Are you trying to say that Rahul Gandhi is better than the Congress?," Lukose asked. Baby wriggled out of that question. "I am not trying to create a problem for Rahul Gandhi in the Congress," he said. 

Baby had recently, during a remembrance meeting for M V Raghavan, seemed to support the entrepreneurial spirit among party leaders. "Is there no problem in running a business even while functioning as a party leader? Are you aware of the dangers of extolling the businesses of party leaders? Some of the businesses started by party leaders are now fully taken over by their families," Baby was told.

He skirted the poser. "M V Raghavan's imaginative contributions in the cooperative sector, like the creation of AKG Hospital, should be hailed. If there are deviations, the party should look into it," Baby said. He added that he praised only businesses in the cooperative sector.

Inspired by his father Alexander, who had rejected his share in the property of his rich father Marian, Baby too does not have any property in his name. "I don't have anything except my name to give my son," Baby said during the Hortus discussion.

It was in this context that he was asked whether it was now acceptable for party workers to live in large houses and own businesses. "China allows comrades to become capitalists. Here, the party does not encourage the creation of capitalists but does not consider those engaged in business activities as untouchables," Baby said.