Karat warns of 'stormy' session after Anand's remarks on FDI

CPI(M) today warned that the upcoming winter session will turn "stormy" if the government takes refuge in commerce minister Anand Sharma's argument that executive decisions like that of allowing FDI in retail could not be voted in Parliament.

Asserting that executive decisions can be taken up and voted, CPI(M) general secretary Prakash Karat cited a 2001 instance in Parliament when party MP Rupchand Pal moved a motion against disinvestment of BALCO in Lok Sabha under Rule 184 entailing a vote after discussion.

The issue was taken up with the ruling NDA accepting a vote on it. However, the motion was defeated, he said.

"...He (Sharma) is good in commerce but bad in history .... I am afraid it is going to be stormy if the government takes the line of Anand Sharma that no executive decision can be voted in Parliament," he said.

The motion that was moved in March 2001 said "that this House disapproves the proposed disinvestment of Bharat Aluminium Company Ltd."

It was defeated with 239 votes against and 119 votes in favour.