Reverse decisions or quit, CPI-M tells Congress

The Congress-led government should quit if it does not reverse its decisions on hiking diesel prices and allowing FDI in multi-brand retail trade, CPI-M leader Prakash Karat said Wednesday.

Karat told a news conference that the wide ranging opposition to the government decisions last week showed that the central government did not enjoy majority support in parliament on these issues.

"FDI in multi-brand retail trade is opposed by the majority in parliament," the Communist Party of India-Marxist general secretary said here.

"So the government should not proceed with this. Nor should it proceed with the increase in diesel prices or limitation in (supply of cooking) gas cylinders (at subsidised rates).

"If the government does not roll back these measures, it has no right to continue in office," he added.

Karat said UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to study the implication when it was decided to let foreign direct investment in single brand retail trade.

The CPI-M was then backing the UPA-I regime.

"Despite all this, Manmohan Singh has gone ahead with this announcement, which is true to his character.

"The commitments he has made to the US stand above the interests of the people of this country."