LUCKNOW: Describing foreign direct investment (FDI) in retail sector as a ‘conspiracy’ hatched by Congress general secretary Rahul Gandhi along with his foreigner friends for ‘economic enslavement’ of India, UP chief minister Mayawati on Saturday said that her government will not allow any foreign company to enter UP in retail business and oppose the decision in the Parliament and on the streets.
While addressing mediapersons, Mayawati said that the Central government has taken decision to allow FDI in retail under pressure of Congress’s Yuvraj (heir apparant) Rahul Gandhi to benefit foreign companies and foreign friends. However, she said, the decision would hit hard the poor farmers and small retailers in the country. On one had, she said, Rahul claims to be sympathizer of poor and on the other, takes anti-poor decisions. This, she said, has exposed double speak of Rahul Gandhi and his party’s government at the centre.
Mayawati said that the FDI in retail will destroy small and cottage industry as well as small and marginal farmers, rendering crores of people unemployed. “The decision will have catastrophic impact at a time when debt-ridden farmers in India are committing suicides due to faulty economic policies of the Centre. It will lead to closure of lakhs of small retail shops and force farmers to sell their produce at low cost,” she claimed.
Mayawati announced that her government will not allow FDI in retail in UP at any cost. She assured traders and farmers opposing the move that they can work in UP without any fear.
Mayawati also annouced that her party will hold demonstrations across the country against decision to allow FDI in retail. She said that her party MPs will oppose the move in Parliament and will write to Centre to take back the decision.
Reacting to allegations of Rahul Gandhi that she no longer feels the pain of poor and does not visit or meet poor, Mayawati described Rahul Gandhi’s visits to dalit and poor households in UP and other parts of the country as drama. “He (Rahul) goes for a picnic to poor man’s hut and takes along his foreign friends to enjoy a night out in rural settings”, she said and accused Rahul Gandhi of shedding crocodile tears for poor.
BSP sources said that Mayawati has tried to kill several birds with one stone by claiming that the decision to allow FDI in retail has been taken under pressure of Congress’s yuvraj (heir apparent) Rahul Gandhi and his videshi (foreigner) friends.
She on one hand appeased traders and farmers who are protesting Centre’s decision and on the other rebutted Rahul Gandhi’s allegation that BSP government is anti-poor. In a subtle manner, sources said, Mayawati has also hinted at Rahul Gandhi’s ‘foreign connection’.