Will fight against retail FDI

BJP senior leader M Venkaiah Naidu said on Sunday that the BJP would never accept FDI in multi-brand retail and continue its fight against it.

He told reporters on the sidelines of a party programme here that FDI in retail would kill Indian trade.  Naidu said that once the multinational retailers are allowed, millions of small traders will vanish from the scene and these companies will monopolise the trade. This in-turn would allow them to dictate the price of commodities. Hence FDI in retail is against the interest of farmers and also consumers, he added. He alleged that country leadership has “vested interest” behind the decision on FDI in retail.

Taking a swipe at the Congress for opposing FDI while in opposition and proposing it while in power, Naidu said: “I have already released a document when Manmohan Singh was the leader of the opposition in the Rajya Sabha, he opposed FDI in retail during NDA rule.” He also came down heavily against UPA allies like SP, BSP and DMK and accused them of “double standards.”

“We don’t know how long the UPA will survive as it is on a ventilator. Anything may happen to this government any time. UPA allies are opposing the Congress in their states and supporting the party at Delhi,” Naidu said.