Left, Right leaders share stage to oppose FDI in retail

The Left and the Right once again came on a single platform today to oppose FDI in multi-brand retail with BJP announcing that it will revoke the decision if it comes to power.

BJP leaders Rajnath Singh, Arun Jaitely and Murli Manohar Joshi shared the dais with CPI's A B Bardhan and CPI(M)'s Basudev Acharia at 'Save Retail Democracy Rally' organised at Ramlila Maidan here by Confederation of all India Traders (CAIT).

Addressing the nationwide campaign, BJP president Rajnath Singh said, "Whenever we will have an opportunity with us, we will take back the decision taken by the UPA government allowing FDI in retail."

Singh accused the government of taking the decision under US pressure without building any consensus over the issue.

"During Indo-US deal also Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had taken a decision to make the US happy. And this time, they have taken the decision under American pressure," he said.

He said "if you want to strengthen economy, will it be strengthened with foreign funds. India does not lack resources and we don't need foreign funds."

CPI-M leader Basudev Acharya said people were suffering from the burns of inflations and this retrograde step should be reversed. "Fighting against it is the only recourse," he said.

Addressing the gathering, BJP leader in Rajya Sabha Jaitley said if retail sector was opened to international companies like Walmart and Tesco, they will import raw materials and goods from Thailand and China and such condition will have an adverse trickle down effect on all businesses.

"People enjoy the multiplicity of choice with small traders. This will end if FDI comes," he said adding that it was completely against farmers as the farmers in Europe and America themselves were surviving on the subsidies extended to them by their government.

Joshi expressed surprise over UPA's policy to rely upon foreign investments to bring prosperity to India and push the economy.

NDA convenor Sharad Yadav said government's policy of FDI was against the interests of the nation. Echoing Rajnath Singh, he made it clear that as soon as the NDA government comes to power, "it will demolish the dream of UPA to bring in FDI in multi-brand retail|".

Bardhan said that this was not a single parties quest. On many issues they "may not agree with each other, but being a political issue it was an issue for all".