FDI IN RETAIL: NDA and Left to reject FDI notification if voted to power in 2014

New Delhi, December 13, 2012: A large protest against FDI in retail was seen at Gandhi Samadhi at Rajghat in New Delhi when leaders of both BJP and Left Front joined hands together to take a pledge to continue their fight against FDI in Retail till the policy is withdrawn by the government.

It is noteworthy that not only NDA but even left parties will also reject the current FDI notification if voted to power in 2014, said CPM Leader Sita Ram Yechury today at the dharna.

Earlier, the NDA Convener Sharad Yadav and senior BJP Leader Murli Manohar Joshi have already announced rejection of FDI notification if voted to power in 2014.

 The unprecedented scene of coming together of ideologically political adversaries happened at the “Sankalp Divas “ observed today by retail stakeholders across the country under the umbrella of Khudra FDI Virodhi Rashtriya Morcha,(KFVRM), a joint coalition of all retail stakeholders in India. The strong sentiments of people gathered at the protest and the politicians views gave enough signal that fight against FDI will continue as the protestors took a solemn pledge to initiate a national movement at every nook and corner of the country for generating a firm view that the political parties supporting FDI in retail must not be voted in forthcoming assembly elections in different states and Lok Sabha polls in the year 2014.

In a unanimous resolution adopted at the protest, the move of the government to institute a judicial commission on Walmart lobbying episode was appreciated and it was demanded that like Walmart more than 30 other global retailers are also interested in Indian retail market and as such investigation of their conduct should also be scanned by the judicial commission whether they are involved in such kind of practices as adopted by Walmart. The beneficiaries should be identified and named in the public domain. It was also demanded that such a judicial commission should work under a time bound frame.

Large number activists of organisations of farmers, hawkers, traders, small industry, transporters, cooperatives, consumers, self employed groups and labourers joined the protest who were administered the pledge by Pradeep Sharma, coordinator of KFVRM.

Prominent those attended the protest includes farmers’ leaders Naresh Sirohi, Dr. Krishanvir Chaudhary, trades’ leaders Satish Garg, Narender Madan, Ramesh Khanna, Vijay Pal, Saudan Singh and Shakeel Ahemad from hawkers’ federation, Qasim Malik and Raj Kumar Bhatia from fruits and vegetables association, Ved Prakash Gupta, Ravindra Bansal and M. L. Dhawan from SME sector etc.

Praveen Khandelwal, Secretary General of the Confederation of All India Traders (CAIT), who is at the forefront in opposing FDI in Retail, cautioned the political parties not to take a ride on the shoulders of traders and other retail stakeholders on issue of FDI in Retail. “The government has politicised the issue by adopting manipulative tactics in the Parliament for securing majority and the retail stakeholders are prepared to give a fitting political reply to all such parties who have supported the FDI in retail which is nothing but a tool to control and dominate retail trade of India and to consolidate money from the pockets of masses to the pockets of few big corporate houses of the country.” He reminded the government that in democracy the head account is more important and they have it with them which will be proved by the ballot boxes of Lok Sabha polls of year 2014.

The notification of FDI in retail contravenes the preamble of Constitution of India which assures social, economic and political justice to the people of India. The entry of MNCs into retail trade will emerge into an uneven level playing field and will hurt the spirit of the Indian Constitution. “We will not hesitate to take the matter in the Court of law beside taking it into the Court of people”, said Khandelwal.

Alleging the government to propagate wrong and incorrect facts and figures, empty lofty claims of advantages of FDI in Retail, Khandelwal listed 11 questions to the Union Government to reply, if it has real majority in its favour. It is also appeared that the state governments have also given wrong picture of FDI in Retail which has prompted the Delhi Chief Minister to make Delhi as first state to open FDI in Retail. “It will be better for the states to know the correct facts and figures else the move will prove to be counterproductive, said Khandelwal.

Addressing the protestors senior BJP leader Dr. Murli Manohar Joshi said that FDI notification will be scrapped if NDA is voted to power in 2014 Lok Sabha polls. Quoting a report of the Transparency International, Dr Joshi said that FDI failed in five countries in which it was introduced earlier. He also said that it was not going to benefit small traders and farmers.

Dr. Joshi added the government does not need to care about the sufferings of multi- nationals but they need to care about the sufferings of the common man of India. "FDI in retail would lead increase in job losses in the unorganised, agriculture and labor sectors”, he said.

Further, the BJP leader said that a revaluation of the whole economic infrastructure needed to be done as the present model had led to an increase in consumerism and was promoting a culture of disparity. He said that the BJP has decided to stand with small shopkeepers, farmers, hawkers and other sectors of retail trade.

Senior CPM leader Sita Ram Yechury while addressing the protestors said that the fight against FDI in retail is not over. The government will be hard-pressed now to go on managing and manufacturing their own majority as the Left parties move for annulment of and amendments to the related FEMA rules.

Accusing certain parties of their double-speak he cited that when the leader of DMK in Rajya Sabha says FDI means Foreign Direct Invasion and then he goes on to vote with the government.

“We are hoping that these parties will now realise that their reputation, their word to the people is now under a question mark”, said Yechury.  He contradicted the claim that FDI in retail had led to a rise in investors’ confidence. “Investors’ confidence has in fact fallen, he said adding, it has fallen because they also know that this vote was managed. They also know how precarious and fragile this whole situation is”, said Yechury.

Opposing FDI in retail tooth and nail, the CPI leader A. B. Bardhan  said that struggle against the UPA government by Left parties has not ended with a vote in Parliament but will spill over to the streets and continue till the policy is rolled back. He further said the Left parties are not opposed to FDI in areas like science and technology, but bringing them in retail would hurt the interests of farmers, traders and customers at large.

"Initially, they will lure farmers and consumers, but once they monopolise, they would start exploiting them", said Bardhan, adding the government’s arguments that FDI was required to overcome huge financial deficit was proof of the government’s failure in managing economy.

Adding, he said, “We cannot allow handing over of our economy into foreign hands”. He cautioned Delhi Chief Minister to first wait and watch instead of hurrying in opening retail stores of MNCs in Delhi.

A national convention of all retail stakeholders will be held at New Delhi on January 1 next to finalise and declare the future strategy of nationwide movement against FDI in retail trade.