New Delhi, Sep 14: Attacking the government for its “hurried” decision allowing FDI in multi-brand retail, BJP today alleged said that despite strong objections from the Opposition it has been done under foreign elements' pressure and will affect the livelihood of Indians in retail trade.
“BJP strongly condemns this hurried decision forcing FDI in multi-brand retail in India. Inspite of serious opposition from within Congress, its allies and nearly the entire Opposition led by BJP, the government has seriously jeopardised the life, livelihood and employment of five crore people involved in retail trade in the country,” BJP Chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said.
The main Opposition party alleged this has been done under the pressure of “foreign elements” and would not bring any concrete return benefits to India.
“Outsourcing from India remains a very contentious issue in America and Europe. The Manmohan Singh government has not been able to extract any firm commitment for India and yet has opened the floodgates to FDI in retail, which will be disastrous for the country,” Prasad said.
The right-wing party also maintained the government had assured both Houses of Parliament that a decision on this issue will be taken only after wide consultations and after all stakeholders on board.
“So, this hurried decision is almost a breach of privilege as well,” Prasad charged.
BJP, however, declined comment on the decision allowing FDI in civil aviation.
Opposing opening up of multibrand retail, broadcast and aviation sectors for foreign players, Left parties today vowed a “wave of protests” against the UPA government accusing it of having become a “burden on the people”.
CPI(M), CPI, RSP and Forward Bloc came out with angry reactions on the Union Cabinet decision on allowing more FDI in the three sectors and disinvesting four PSUs, charging the UPA government was acting against the interest of common man.
Senior CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat said the UPA government “cannot give any job but is snatching jobs” by destroying the livelihood of people through “so-called reform” measures aimed at pleasing corporates.”
“Their reform measures are only to suit the MNCs and it has nothing to do with India or its people. They only want to listen to the corporates. This government cannot create jobs, it cannot control prices.
“This government is a burde n on the people. We are already working towards a organising a united movement against this government (after it announced a steep hike in diesel prices yesterday),” Karat told PTI.
CPI National Secretary D Raja said the country will witness a “wave of protests” in the coming days as UPA has come out with a “very very disastrous course which will rob the livelihood and jobs of millions of people”.
He alleged UPA has become a “prisoner of corporates” and it went ahead with these “anti-people” measures as it wanted to impress the corporates. “
Forward Bloc National Secretary G Deverajan said it was a “poor attempt” by the government to show that there was no policy paralysis in the country.
