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No loss of face in decision to pause FDI in
retail: Congress
Wednesday December 07, 2011 10:01:53 PM,
IANS
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New Delhi:
The Congress Wednesday denied Prime Minister Manmohan Singh or the
government has lost face following decision to pause Foreign
Direct Investment in retail, and said more consultations were
required to get allies on the board on the issue.
Party spokesman Manish Tewari said the move to pause FDI decision
was "demonstration of coalition sensitivities".
"I don't think there is loss of face for the prime minister or the
government. Extra consultations are required to get allies on
board. Different parties have different understanding of the same
issue," Tewari said.
Answering queries, he said FDI in retail was "definitely a good
idea".
"Good economics often does not make good politics...there is
different understanding (of issues). In coalition politics (one
has to) walk that extra mile."
Tewari also denied there was an error of judgement on the part of
government.
"No, it is not an error of judgement. There was consultation
process with states, political parties, allies. Also, in a
coalition, enough consultation may not be enough... We hope to
arrive at some constructive resolution."
Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee announced in parliament after an
all-party meeting that the decision to permit 51 percent FDI in
retail trade has been suspended till a consensus is developed
through consultation among various stakeholders.
Congress allies Trinamool Congress and DMK, apart from the
Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) and the Left, were opposed to
allowing FDI in retail. The Trinamool Congress refused to come on
board despite the prime minister talking to party chief and West
Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. A few Congress leaders also
raised questions over FDI in retail and its timing.
Tewari said concerns of the Trinamool Congress will be allayed.
Congress leaders, speaking on the condition of anonymity, however,
admitted there was a loss of face for the government over the
decision but said it was a better option than to hurt the ego of a
key ally when the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had
completed only half its term.
"It was a choice between getting temporarily wounded than causing
a permanent strain in the relationship," a party leader said.
However, he agreed that the decision to pause FDI in retail was
likely to impact moves of the government on foreign equity in
insurance and aviation.
The leader said if the government had pushed through the decision
for FDI in retail, it would have been accused of being
"insensitive and arrogant".
Though the Congress leader said that the government could have
mustered alternate support as it did after the Left parties
withdrew support over the Indo-US nuclear deal, there were
concerns in the party over support to the FDI in retail decision
on the floor of the house.
Apart from the Trinamool Congress and the DMK, outside supporters
of the UPA such as the Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Samajwadi
Party (SP) and the Rashtriya Janata Dal were also firmly opposed
to the decision.
The Congress could not have banked on the SP and the BSP in view
of the upcoming assembly polls in Uttar Pradesh where it has
decided to go alone.
Congress leaders insisted FDI in retail was not over but said it
was difficult to set a timeline for it to be implemented.
They also said that pause should not be linked to the Uttar
Pradesh assembly elections and there was "no timeline in that
sense."
Party sources said allies were likely to become more assertive
vis-a-vis Congress after Banerjee virtually forced the government
to pause FDI in retail decision and there could be demands for a
coordination mechanism in the UPA.
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