Parliament likely to be hit by retail FDI typhoon today

Trouble continued to mount for the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in retail became the new cementing factor for all the forces opposed to the Congress in Parliament.

With the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) announcing that it would disrupt Parliament on Monday on the issue of increased FDI in retail, and Tamil Nadu chief minister Jayalalithaa voicing strong opposition to it, it was the turn of the Janata Dal United (JDU) to give notice of an adjournment motion on Monday. JDU is acting as a floor coordinator between the Left parties and the BJP and chances are that despite an understanding with the government on a discussion on black money and price rise, more disruption of Parliament will be seen on Monday.

“FDI in retail sector will hit small retailers hard. We will not allow the proceedings in Parliament to take place tomorrow,” said Gopinath Munde, deputy leader of the BJP parliamentary party, addressing BJP workers at suburban Ghatkopar in Mumbai.

What could prove embarrassing for the government is that even allies like Trinamool Congress and the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) might joint Opposition ranks.

This will have the somewhat piquant effect of the Jayalalithaa-led AIADMK and the Karunanidhi led DMK being on the same side of the fence despite being bitter political rivals in Tamil Nadu.

It is possible that the Prime Minister might have to intervene and set fears and apprehensions about FDI in retail at rest.

The government has to get its act together quickly because if two weeks are lost in a 21-day session and UPA’s partners contribute to the loss, UPA will have egg all over its face. The government will also have to contend against the December 1 bandh called by traders all over the country. Most political parties have already pledged their support to the traders.

Minister of state in the Prime Minister's Office V Narayanasamy on Sunday said disruption of proceedings in Parliament last week had cost the exchequer as much as Rs 6.5 crore. "Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi are always ready to discuss the public issues and hence the Opposition should cooperate with the government in this regard," he said, appealing to Opposition to abstain from stalling proceedings of the House.

“State governments have an option to accept or reject it as it is not forced on the unwilling state government to implement the FDI,” he said.

Samajwadi Party has also come out against the Union government for allowing FDI in retail sector. Senior leaders of Samajwadi Party argued that while they had supported the government on several decisions, they were also at liberty to oppose it if they thought the government’s moves were wrong.

“When value added tax was being implemented, Mulayam Singh had met the then finance minister P Chidambaram and opposed it strongly. We have collectively decided to raise our voice against FDI now. We are not in touch with leaders of NDA but we will raise the issue on our own in the House,” said Shailendra Kumar, member of parliament, Samajwadi Party.