Emphasising that foreign investment in retail will prove the death knell for small traders, the Shiv Sena Thursday accused the government of selling the country to foreigners.
"The government is selling the country to foreigners like Wal-Mart. If Sukhdev and Bhagat Singh were alive, they would have bombed the people who are sitting here and selling our country," said party's Sanjay Raut, while speaking in the debate in the Rajya Sabha on the decision allowing foreign equity in retail trade.
He said FDI in retail will force small traders to shut their shops and commit suicide.
Targeting Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) chief Mayawati for supporting the government, Raut said: "Mayawati in the past stated that FDI in retail was only to benefit Rahul Gandhi's friends; today she has started to support them?"
"I want to know how many Italian traders will be allowed to come and set up their stores in India," he added.