Harvard economist Gita Gopinath was appointed Economic Advisor to Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi Vijayan last week. But the appointment has stirred a political controversy in the Left-ruled state. The reason: She is thought to advocate neo-liberal economics, while the Communist Party of India (Marxist), that leads the Kerala government, vociferously opposes such policies on a national scale. She is seen as standing for
everything that the CPI (M)-led government in Kerala does not: Neoliberal economics that believes in a free market. But, Gopinath is more than that. The accompanying profile, that appeared in the Harvard Gazette in February 2011, explains who Gopinath really is. Gopinath is John Zwaanstra Professor of International Studies and Economics at Harvard University and is only the third woman and the first Indian after Nobel laureate Amartya Sen to become a tenured professor at the university. But, Vijayan is undeterred by the controversy. He told The Indian Express, “For us, she is one of the leading world economists with roots in Kerala. What is wrong in asking her views and opinions on world economy and make use of whatever we want? As long as our stand is clear, there is no need for a worry on any departure from the party line.” 
No comments:
Post a Comment