FDI in retail: UPA pushing country toward 2nd phase of colonisation, says BJP

Slamming Congress-led UPA government for allowing 51% FDI in multi-brand retail, the BJP on Monday said the measure amounted to pushing the country into the second phase of colonisation.

"The manner in which the Centre notified at midnight allowing 51% FDI in multi-brand retail would push the country into the second phase of colonisation," BJP national spokesperson Syed Shahanwaz Hussain said, while addressing party workers during protest march near Hartali More in Patna.

He also alleged the decision was taken under pressure from USA and in brazen disrespect to public sentiments.

He said the UPA government's "anti-people" face has been exposed after it allowed FDI in retail at the risk of jeopardising livelihood of crores of retail traders. BJP will agitate on the alleged failure of the UPA government to deal with price rise and corruption, he said.

The state unit BJP chief CP Thakur also attacked the UPA government on the FDI issue and said foreign retailers have been given licence to loot the country.

Earlier, BJP leaders and workers took out a protest march from the party office to Hartali More and raised anti-UPA government slogans for allowing FDI in retail. 

A delegation, led by Hussain, Thakur and other senior BJP leaders, later went to the Raj Bhawan and handed over a memorandum addressed to President Pranab Mukherjee through Governor Devanand Konwar to protest FDI in multi-brand retail among other economic policy decisions of the UPA government.