Picking holes in the government’s decision of allowing FDI in multi-brand retail, the Opposition on Thursday trashed the government’s claims of increasing job opportunities as well as elimination of middlemen by its decision, during a debate on the motion over the issue in Rajya Sabha. They claimed that the decision will end up creating “super-middlemen” in the guise of multi-brand retailers experts, which will impact 40 million people, who are directly employed in the unorganised retail business. While the BSP said it will support the government on the issue, the SP termed it a “kaala kanoon’’ (black law) and asked the government to rethink on the FDI decision and not bring it to vote in the Upper House on Friday. The UPA ally DMK said that though it is against the FDI in retail but it will continue to support the government as it has “never let down friends”. Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley, while participating in the debate on the Opposition’s motion against the government’s decision on the FDI issue, accused the Congress-led UPA of accepting “every suggestion from Western economic powers to be a measure of reform”. He cautioned that some of these could actually be “counter-reforms, which can harm the country’s economy. He said the issues is “fundamentally flawed” and will “adversely” affect sectors including manufacturing and agriculture. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was also present in the House. Earlier, moving the motion AIADMK member V. Maitreyan used the Tamil word “Kolaveri” (murderous rage) describing the negative impact. He also slammed the DMK, BSP and SP for “bailing out” the government in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday and read out an earlier statement by a BSP leader who had attacked the FDI issue. Mr Jaitley targeted the PM reminding him that as Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha during the NDA rule, Dr Singh had strongly opposed FDI in retail. Hitting out at the DMK over the issue, Mr Maitreyan said, “If there is one party which believes in running with the hare and hunting with the hound, it is DMK.” Attacking the government, Mr Jaitley said their debate is based on “deception” and charged it with “concocting” figures by exaggerating the amount of waste and allowing hand over our food supply chain to foreigners. He also raised questions on the continuation of the UPA government, saying it has failed to touch the figure of 272 and has fallen short of 18 of a majority in the Lower House, calling it a “lame duck” government. Law minister Ashwani Kumar, who was the first to speak from the government side, said UPA has taken a “conscious decision” on FDI in multi-brand retail and “at this stage of economic development and growth permitting FDI is a national imperative”. CPI(M) member Sitaram Yechury said his party will oppose FDI in multi-brand retail “tooth and nail” as it felt the move will not improve the farmers’ condition or generate employment.
