On Board Air India One: With erstwhile UPA ally Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee threatening to bring a no-confidence motion against the government over FDI, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma on Sunday said the “shrill discourse and sensationalism” against the government’s policies had caused enormous damage to the country’s image.
Speaking to newspersons accompanying Prime Minister Manmohan Singh for the 10th Asean-India Summit, sain Phnom Penh, Sharma said: “It’s high time that realisation dawns upon all concerned that the shrill discourse and sensationalism in recent years has caused an enormous damage to India’s image and investment climate and hurt India economically.”
He also hit out against criticism of the timing of announcing FDI in multi-brand retail in September this year.
The government has had to face flak over a slew of economic decisions, including allowing FDI in multi-brand retail, hike in diesel prices and a cap on subsidised LPG cylinders for households. The Trinamool Congress walked out of the UPA government and alliance over the issue in September. (IANS)