NDA walks out in RS against proposed FDI in retail sector

NEW DELHI, Aug 24 (UNI): The Opposition NDA today staged a walkout in the Rajya Sabha even as the House demonstrated rare unanimityagainst the Government's move to allow Foreign Direct Investment inretail sector without Parliament's concurrence.

Notwithstanding the consensus in the House that no decision should be taken by the government and make the whole issue a fait accompli, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath refused to give a categorical assurance on the time frame for taking the decision with the BJP leading the other parties to walk out during the Question Hour.

When B J Panda's question came up for transaction, Nath gave a non-commital answer that no detailed proposal had been finalised and the issue was being discussed among stakeholders.

Although he confessed that there was increased interest in India for FDI investment, he said no application was pending before the government for retail sector.

After P J Kurian of the Congress remarked that allowing FDI in retail sector was not just against traders but also against the nation, Dipankar Mukherjee of CPI-M wanted the government to assure the House that a decision would be taken after Parliament's approval.

Tense atmosphere prevailed in the House when several MPs from the Samajwadi Party, which supports the UPA government from outside, too joined the group.

The Minister avoided an answer even after Rajya Sabha Chairman Bhairon Singh Shekhawat told him to reply keeping in mind the sentiments of the House.

The Minister said he was very much conversant with the ground level situation where 98 per cent of the trade was in the unorganised sector and only two per cent in the organised sector with food and non-food sectors sharing one per cent each.

When no assurance on the timing of the decision was forthcoming, the BJP led the NDA walkout, alleging that the government's language and actions were only confirming that the FDI in the retail sector was in the offing.