Terming Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s address to the nation “deceptive” and “unconvincing”, the BJP on Saturday challenged the UPA government to get approval of Parliament for its move to allow FDI in retail.
Addressing a press conference here, former party president, M Venkaiah Naidu, said the reason behind the Centre unleashing a flood of reforms was to deflect the attention of the people from the spate of scams plaguing the country. “The address of the PM was extremely disappointing to the extent that it was unable to convince even the UPA allies,” Naidu said.
He said the Centre, by giving green signal to FDI in retail, had betrayed the parliament. “They made a mockery of the promise that a consensus would be achieved before introducing FDI in retail sector,” he pointed out. Also, the reference to 1991 in the PM’s address was ironic as it is the UPA that has now taken the country back to a situation similar to early 1990s, he said.
Referring to the PM’s remark that some people were misleading the country, he wondered if this included allies of the Congress, such as the DMK, which had fully supported the nation-wide bandh called on this issue.
“Even Kerala Chief Minister has opposed the move. Sonia Gandhi has asked Congress-led States to provide 9 cylinders when PM argues 6 was enough. There is no consistency in their decisions,” he said.