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| Edited By: |Source: DNA |Updated: Dec 06, 2012, 08:10 PM IST
Meanwhile, Lok Sabha has been adjourned till noon following uproar over Babri mosque demolition issue.
Will UPA supporters ‘act’ in RS?
With the BSP and SP taking turns at disrupting the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha, the other opposition parties have expressed fears that debate on FDI in multi-brand retail could be derailed.
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SP to vote against government
Samajwadi Party will definitely not vote for the government on the FDI issue in Rajya Sabha, Party leader Naresh Agarwal said on Thursday.
D Raja and V Maitreyan move motion against FDI
D Raja from CPI and V Maitreyan from AIADMK moved the motion against FDI in multi-brand retail in the Rajya Sabha.
'Govt unsureof numbers'
"I have a suspicion that the government is unsure which way the Rajya Sabha will vote. So it is not letting the house function," said Arun Jaitley.
FDI debate sceduled for noon
The debate on FDI in multi-brand retail will take place at noon. The motion has been tabled by D Raja from CPI and V Maitreyan.
The Question Hour is about to end. The FDI debate will be held after this.
Government sure of FDI vote
"We won in the Lok Sabha and I am confident of my numbers in Rajya Sabha and we will win," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said outside parliament.
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V Maitreyan moves the motion
Dr V Maitreyan of AIADMK moved the motion against FDI in multi-brand retail.
V Maitreyan
The chief minister of Tamil Nadu has strongly condemned the decision of UPA government to allow FDI in multi-brand retail. The government of TN, under the rule of AIADMK, will never allow FDI.
The govt has not taken any initiative to hold a meeting with all the chief ministers about the issue.
Views expressed on Dec 7, 2011: A BSP leader said that the party would like complete rollback of FDI. By abstaining from voting in Lok Sabha, BSP and SP gave a life to this issue which was on ventilator.
Dr Manmohan Singh opposed FDI when he was in opposition, today he is the prime mover. The UPA chairperson had strong opposition to the idea of FDI in retail when UPA I was in power.
USA and multi-brand companies had such a strong effect on the prime minister, that he convinced Sonia Gandhi that FDI in retail was good for the country
Loss of jobs a lot more than jobs generated: V Maitreyan
Cause of manufacturers
Ashwini Kumar says
FDI will help farmers: Ashwani Kumar
I would like to present a few facts that are compelling enough to persuade everyone that permitting FDI is a national imperitive, said law minister Ashwani Kumar.
Ashwani Kumar clarifies change of mind on UPA's side
Nations do not remain static...Through a process of rational decision making, we move the nation forward, clarifies Ashwani Kumar.
"There are moments when all of us have to rise against partisan politics. We cannot look at the future from the prison of the past," says Kumar as he ends his argument.
"We need to take such steps that the interest of poorest of poor is taken care of"
Arun Jaitley attacks lame-duck govt
NDA was never opposed to FDI: Jaitley
What is the job structure of India
First adversely affected sector would be manufacturing, says Jaitley.
"We have not had reforms in the manufacturing sector - from this what will emanate," he asks.
"Go to Delhi, there are small shops of furniture all across the town...Today, 70% of those shops have imported furniture and the manufacturing of furniture in India has gone down," he said.
Issue of farmers
Jaitley said:
Issue of middleman
In the milk market, in India 68% of earnings go to the producer and 32% go to retailers, while in western countries, it is the other way round. This is due to the presence of super middlemen. Walmart, Tesco, etc are the super middlemen here, says Jaitley.
How is the decision being left on states?
"To add a sweetener in the issue, the government said the decision will be left to the state, says Jaitely. 'I find this pointless. FDI is a subject which is completely in the centre's hand'.
"Every treaty has a clause that is called MFN or national treatment, which means there will be no bias in the agreement...This opens the window to legal enforcement on the states for implementation of FDI."
"On December 6 2002, we categorically refused that the government had no such proposal to being FDI in retail. This was exactly the government's policy in UPA I. Kamal Nath had then rejected FDI in multi-brand retail."
Govt distorting figures to convince us: Jaitley
Government has brought in various statistics to present its point.
DIPP says as per some industry estimates '5-7% of food grains are wasted and 25-30% of fruits and vegetables are wasted'. The government has distorted these facts.
Sharad Pawar on May 8 2012 said in Lok Sabha that percentage of estimated loss:
Cereal- 3.9%
Pulse- 4.3%
Fruits and vegetables- 5.8%
Pulses - 3.8%
Your entire debate is base on concoction of figures. You disrupt the figures and then say cold storage is needed.
Mayawati condemns Sushma Swaraj's statement against BSP
Yesterday, Sushma Swaraj attacked our party by presenting false statements. We condemn the kind of language used by her against our party.
Mayawati narrated the story of 'the fox and sour grapes' while arguing against Swaraj's attack on her party. This created ruckus in the House.
"We are often accused of being under pressure from CBI. This has become a fashion...I would like to clarify NDA's misuse of CBI."
BJP falsely implicated me in the Taj corridor case.
What about FDI in retail Mayawatiji?
With her time running out, Mayawati hasn't spoken a word about her stand on FDI in multi-brand in retail. The BSP chief seems to be busy exposing BJP's misuse of CBI and defending her party's stand in Lok Sabha.
News update
With ruckus over Mayawati's comments, the House has been adjourned for 10 minutes.
The House has now resumed and Mayawati is still debating on BJP's injustice towards her.
"We will not align with communal forces," she says.
Implement FDI in few states: Mayawati
"About FDI, we should remember that we cannot pick and choose always. FDI should be allowed not just in sectors like mining, but also in other areas. There are fears that foreign firms will throw out government rules to flood the markets with cheaper goods," Mayawati said.
"Considering that the two sides are debating the FDI issue, we propose that the FDI policy be implemented in a few states and its effect analysed to se if it can be further be applied to the entire country."
"If we see a definitive improvement by implementation of the FDI policy, we will welcome it."
"One thing we appreciate about the incumbent government's FDI proposal is that it is not binding on the states."
Click her to read Mayawati's complete statement
We will vote for the government on FDI issue
I wanted to boycott the voting in Rajya Sabha just as we boycotted the Lok Sabha. But fearing that the Opposition might be buoyed by the rejection of the FDI motion in the house, we have decide to support the Centre in the FDI move in the Parliament.
FDI does not add to the productive capacity of the economy: Sitaram Yechury
We are not against foreign capital. But FDI in retail does not add anything to the productive capacity of the economy, says Yechury. "We opposed FDI when NDA was in power and we still do."
Of the 1.6 million people employed by WalMart, only 1.2% live above poverty line.
He quotes a US report saying 18 jobs created by a street vendor, supermarket needs just 4 people to handle the same volume of produce. "It will not create employment," the CPI(M) leader says.
Click here to read Sitaram Yechury's entire statement
NK Singh
The Janata Dal United leader said, "I want to ask the PM, is this issue of FDI the over-arching economic issue that faces India?"
Derek O'Brien
"The Trinamool Congress is against a policy that looks at India only as a market," says Trinamool Congress's chief whip, adding that "FDI is no more, or no less than foreign direct instruction."
The MP attacked the government saying, "Yours is a deformed government which has long ceased to perform."
Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agarwal
"I am here to speak for the traders of India," said Samajwadi Party MP Naresh Agarwal. Reiterating his party's stand, Agarwal said that SP is neither responsible for propping up the government nor for the downfall.
"FDI will kill the farmers and destroy the livelihood of small traders. This is a kaala kanoon (black law) and should not be passed. The government must rethink this proposal," the Naresh Agrawal said.
"If only big industries thrive here, the country will not move forward. We need the small and marginal traders, producers, farmers... stop this air-conditioned thinking," he added.
Click here to read his statement
DMK never lets down friends: Tiruchi Siva
"DMK has never let down friends...We will always be with UPA," DMK leader Tiruchi Siva said even as he said the party was against FDI in retail.
BSP's support pushes up Sensex
Meanwhile, BSE benchmark Sensex on Thursday wiped out early losses to close with a 95-point gain on late buying amid BSP throwing its weight behind the UPA government on FDI issue in Rajya Sabha.
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BJP MP Venkaiah Naidu hits back at Mayawati even as he attacks the government. "Had you consulted political parties this situation would not have arisen," Naidu said.
"I am happy that the BSP is clarifying that they are not allies of Congress. But if they are not allies, what is their relationship," he questioned.
Amid ruckus following an uproar in the house after BJP leader M Venkaiah Naidu used a disparaging word (bewakoof) to describe members sitting on the treasury benches, the House has been adjourned for ten minutes.
The word used by Naidu was expunged by Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien, but his prompt action failed to pacify the ruling members.
The house is now resuming.
Shashi Bhusan Behera of BJD
The government's decision was "anti-national", said Shashi Bhusan Behera.
Behera said the government decision will affect the future of 20 crore people connected directly and indirectly with the retail trade and it should not "push them to suicide".
UPA gives fruits to itself: CM Ramesh
TDP member CM Ramesh said the United Progressive Alliance government talks of inclusive governance but gives "fruits to itself".
Making his maiden speech, he said the government was rolling out the red carpet for multinational companies.
He claimed that international chains coming as a result of the FDI decision will wipe out local retail trade and create monopolies.
"It (FDI in multi-brand retail) will end up as foreign direct interference. Hence TDP is stoutly opposed to it lock, stock and barrel," Ramesh said.
Venkaiah Naidu calls Congress MP 'bewakoof'
The FDI debate in Parliament continues. Venkaiah Naidu finishes his speech. Naidu ends his debate by calling a Congress MP 'bewakoof' for the continued ruckus in the House since he began speaking.
This led to an immediate uproar in the House with MPs rushing to the Well of the house. The Deputy Chairman PJ Kurien finally calmed down the MPs and had the word expunged.
Venkaiah Naidu apologises for 'bewakoof' remark
Venkaiah Naidu apologised after a woman MP broke down over his comment
There was uproar in the Rajya Sabha over Naidu calling a Congress MP bewakoof (stupid) after she interjected during his speech over Foreign Direct Investment or FDI in multi-brand retail.
Debate in Rajaya Sabha comes to an end
The debate in the Rajya Sabha come to an end. The house will vote on the motion on Friday.
The Rajya Sabha is currently discussing the issue of FDI in multi-brand retail.