JOIN USWill stall implementation of FDI, says CPM
The CPM asserted on Thursday that it will try its best to stop implementation of FDI in retail during the debate in Parliament.
“We will use all options available in Rules of Business of the House to thwart implementation of FDI in retail,” senior leader Sitaram Yechury told reporters after government agreed to a debate on FDI entailing voting.
Yechury said that according to parliamentary procedure, amendment by Reserve Bank of India to Section 47 and 48 of Foreign Exchange Management Act (FEMA), which deals with FDI, should be tabled in Parliament within 30 days of the amendment. The government has to table the amended FEMA before December 13, he said.
He said in the event of an amendment being moved for the annulment of amendment done by RBI, it can be decided only by voting.
“Due to its obduracy, the government has agreed to a vote on the issue twice. Once when the FDI issue comes up for vote after a debate and the second time after the RBI amendments are tabled in Parliament to amend FEMA to allow FDI in retail,” said Yechury.
He said the government is capable of manoeuvring the numbers in support of FDI.
Though the government may not find support in the Rajya Sabha and the motion against FDI may be carried, it would try to argue that the Lok Sabha has approved it. He expressed resolve that they would press for a joint session of Parliament on the issue.
Meanwhile, a CPM delegation led by Yechury and Basudeb Acharia met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to demand proper wage and facilities for women workers of central government schemes, including Anganwadi and ASHA workers. We demanded that the PM should constitute an inter-ministerial group on development of social infrastructure on the lines of Group of Ministers on development of infrastructure. The workers of various central government schemes are poorly paid. This is affecting implementation of vital social projects, said Yechury.