FDI issue: Trinamool accuses govt of indulging in hoodwinking tactics

Insisting that the FDI decision on retail requires vigorous Parliamentary sanction, Trinamool Congress today accused the government of indulging in "hoodwinking" tactics to claim that there was need for it.

Party's chief whip in Rajya Sabha Derek O'Brien contended that the Centre's decision to allow 51% FDI in multi- brand retail is "not just a change in the norms amenable to placid parliamentary scrutiny but also to vigorous parliamentary sanction".

Referring to the UPA's argument that FDI in multi-brand retail is purely an executive one, he said in his blog posting that the "government, devious to the very end, is seeking to hoodwink Parliament, deprive it of its due right and is attempting to explain away the changes in FDI rules as merely an enabling framework".

Describing the argument as "semantic jugglery", he said "enabling framework or no enabling framework, we are discussing legislation here – and legislation comes under the purview and superintendence of Parliament. No more, no less."

He accused the ministers and Congress spokespersons of "resorting to untruths and half-baked logic".

Derek alleged the government "cannot be trusted" with the FDI in multi-brand retail issue as it has a "dubious history" on this count and seems determined to allow in foreign chains for some "ulterior motive".

"It has been a week since Parliament convened. We are still waiting for the government to come good on its promise and indeed its Constitutional obligation," he said.