BJP, Left slam UPA Govt. over FDI in multi-brand retail

Bangalore/New Delhi, Sep 14 (ANI): The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday said the decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail at this stage in India is an anti-people measure, and added that this was completely uncalled for.

"Allowing FDI in multi-brand retail at this stage in India is an anti-people measure. It will increase unemployment. Self-employment is the strength of retail trade in India and this retail employment will be taken away by this multi-brand retail foreign investment. This was uncalled for," BJP spokesperson Prakash Javadekar told mediapersons in Bangalore.

"India is already having organised retail. It is yet to get settled. And while they are settling, you want to unsettle the Indian organised retail all over the country," he added.

Asserting that the BJP condemns the FDI in multi-brand retail, Javadekar said: "And to say that states will have choice, it is the worst kind of gimmickry. This is nothing, but deception."

Meanwhile, Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader Sitaram Yechury echoed similar sentiments on the FDI in multi-brand retail, and said it's the most disastrous decision as far as India is concerned.

" What the Manmohan Singh Government is doing is at the expense of the people," he added.

Meanwhile, West Bengal Chief Minister and Trinamool Congress (TMC) chief Mamata Banerjee has put a 72-hour deadline for the UPA Government to withdraw its decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail and aviation, the hike in diesel prices and the restrictions on subsidised cooking gas or face the 'consequences'.

The Trinamool Congress (TMC) has called for a meeting of its leaders on September 18 to decide on the future course of action.

The Union Cabinet earlier today decided to operationalise 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail, but left it to the state governments to allow setting up of such stores.

The government had in November last year approved 51 percent FDI in multi-brand. This was, however, put on hold due to political opposition, including from UPA constituent Trinamool Congress. (ANI)