We'll block Wal-Mart's entry, says CPM

The Communist Party of India (Marxist) has now decided to take to the streets to stall Wal-Mart and others after the opposition sponsored vote on FDI was defeated in Parliament.

The party politburo said on on Friday that it will “mobilise public opinion to prevent the entry of the foreign supermarket chains”.

“The government was able to manoeuvre to get the motion against FDI in retail trade defeated. This was possible due to the opportunism of the Samajwadi Party and the dubious position adopted by the Bahujan Samaj Party. Both these parties spoke out against FDI in retail trade but acted in a manner to help the government succeed,” the party said after the conclusion of its  two-day politburo meeting on Friday.

The party has interpreted the Parliament debate differently and said that the debate in both Houses of Parliament revealed that an overwhelming number of political parties representing a clear majority of the MPs are not in favour of allowing FDI in retail trade. “This reflects the views of the majority of the people of the country,” it said.

“The strong opposition registered in Parliament and the actual minority status of the government on the issue should be utilised to intensify the struggle against the entry of Wal-Mart and other supermarket chains into India.”

The party said it will try to delay its implementation by moving amendments to FEMA (Foreign Exchange Management) rules, which has been endorsed in its amended forms by Parliament along with the FDI policy.

The Parliament will take up motions for further amendments to FEMA rules after 30 days of it is moved. This will automatically slate implementation of the rules till the Budget session. CPM leader Sitaram Yechuury has been hinting on it since the debate was decided.

However, the party will hardly have support of Samajwadi Party, which had come to the streets against FDI along with CPM, CPI, Forward Block, RSP, JDS, TDP and BJD. All except SP voted against FDI. SP walked out before voting.