New Delhi: The Congress has been completely isolated over the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Cabinet's decision to allow Foreign Direct Investment in multi-brand retail. Several Congress allies have joined the Opposition parties in protesting against the move that will allow global retail giants like Wal-Mart, IKEA and Carrefour to set shop in India.
UPA's own constituents like the Trinamool Congress and the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) have already expressed their displeasure on FDI in retail, making it difficult for the Government to take on the Opposition which has been vociferous in its protests.
Now some Congress leaders, too, have started to question the Government's decision claiming that such a move is not in the interest of the country and will ruin small-time retailers, farmers and traders.
Congress MP from Sultanpur in Uttar Pradesh Sanjay Singh has raised his voice against the move to allow FDI in retail.
"There are many MPs who are opposing this in their own areas. We are party people and I think that the timing is wrong to introduce the FDI. I am not acting as opposition within the party. I feel that FDI will harm the poor," said Sanjay Singh on Tuesday in New Delhi joining his party colleagues from Kerala in opposing the move.
Kerala Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President Ramesh Chennithala has already written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opposing FDI in retail. The Kerala unit of the Congress has been opposing FDI in retail fearing that the opposition Left Front would capitalise on it by weaning away small and marginal retail shop owners from its supporters.
Chennithala also said that he has met Kerala Chief Minister Oommen Chandy and asked him not to implement the Centre's decision.
Senior Union Ministers belonging to the Congress like Corporate Affairs Minister Veerappa Moily, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh, Social Justice and Empowerment Minister Mukul Wasnik and Defence Minister AK Antony have already opposed the policy.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance, the Left Front, Bahujan Samaj Party, Samajwadi Party, All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK), Biju Janata Dal and the Telugu Desam Party have not allowed Parliament to function for the last six days demanding a roll back of the decision to allow FDI in retail.
"This decision on FDI has to taken back. There is no national acceptability of this decision. In the absence of consensus on the issue what's the rational of taking this decision which is so controversial and Parliament is in session. It will be sensible for the Government to put this decision in abeyance or roll it back, discuss it within the UPA and with the Opposition. India is not prepared as far as this decision is concerned," said Arun Jaitley, BJP MP and Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha.
Earlier, the Prime Minister's all-party meeting on Tuesday morning failed to end the deadlock as the Government gave no assurance on the issue.
Satish Mishra of the BSP said that the Opposition wants an immediate rollback of the Government's decision of allowing FDI in retail and will not let Parliament run till there is a rollback. He also said that the government has asked for more time to think on the issue.
The only consolation for the Congress is that NDA partner Akali Dal is in favour of the FDI in retail apart from the UPA constituent Nationalist Congress Party. Some BJP leaders like party MP Jaswant Singh and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, who earlier supported the decision of FDI in retail, have taken a U-turn to oppose it.
Till now only five states seem to be in favour of implementing the Cabinet's decision, while 10 states have openly come out against the move.
Akali Dal-ruled Punjab has decided to go in favour of the FDI policy apart from three Congress-ruled states Delhi, Rajasthan and Andhra Pradesh, and NCP-Congress ruled Maharashtra.
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