CPI-M for statement from PM on lobbying by US firms

Raising the matter in Rajya Sabha during Zero Hour, Prasanta Chatterjee (CPI-M) said the recent disclosure reports of US Senate and House of Representatives were serious and demanded a discussion on the issue.

"I demand a statement from the Prime Minister on the issue and a full-fledged discussion on this," Chatterjee said.

He said, "We have already discussed the Walmart issue but this issue also demands a discussion."

The CPI-M member said lobbying by Walmart for access to India has generated much political heat, but 50 other larger US companies and entities have spent millions of dollars in 2012 itself to enter India.

He said these include pharma giant Pfizer, computer makers Dell and HP, telecom players like Qualcomm and Alcatel-Lucent, financial services majors like Morgan Stanley and Prudential Financial, as also Alliance of Automobile Manufactures and the Aerospace Industries Association of America, as per the Congressional records of lobbying disclosure reports.

There are also lobby groups like Financial Executives International, Business Roundtable, Business Software Alliance and Financial Services Forum as well as consumer goods makers like Cargill Inc and Colgate Palmolive that have indulged in lobbying with US lawmakers so far in 2012.

The disclosure about Walmart having spent USD 25 million on lobbying activities in the US since 2008 on various issues including those related to opening of retail FDI in India generated a high-decibel political debate last week and the government finally agreed for an enquiry into the matter.

Though lobbying is allowed as per US laws, it is banned in India.