On a day when agitating traders in the city announced plans to gherao Parliament over allowing foreign direct investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail, the Congress sought to put the DMK on the mat, saying former Union Minister Murasoli Maran was the first to propose FDI in retail during the erstwhile NDA regime.
Addressing the press in Tiruchy on Tuesday, former TNCC president EVKS Elangovan attributed the DMK’s current line on FDI to political compulsions.
In Chennai, announcing the gherao plan, A M Vikramaraja, president of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangankalin Peramaippu, said, “Mahatma Gandhi persuaded people set fire to foreign goods. But today, the government encourages foreign investment in retail. Look at how foreign soft drinks have swamped the Indian market. We will fight to save the lives of farmers and traders.”
Hundreds of traders who took part in protests organised by two traders associations here, condemned the UPA government’s green light to retail FDI.
Members of Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangankalin Peravai took out a procession led by their president T Vellaiyan. During the rally from Egmore to Pudupet, traders held placards opposing FDI and vowed to stop foreign multi-brand retail outlets from entering the country.
Members of the Tamil Nadu Vanigar Sangankalin Peramaippu, led by Vikramaraja, shouted slogans condemning the government move. They also burnt a copy of the Union government’s order on FDI.
SJM hunger strike: In a related development, the Swadeshi Jagaran Manch (SJM) observed a hunger strike against FDI in retail. The protesters described Gandhi Jayanti as the right day to begin yet another freedom struggle to free the nation from the clutches of foreign multinationals.
They claimed that the UPA had reneged on its commitment to discuss the issue in Parliament before bringing out any notification and pointed out that many UPA allies too were against the move. Yet, the Congress had the temerity to issue the notification, they said. The protesters insisted that the government withdraw it immediately in to safeguard the livelihood of over 30 crore people directly and indirectly involved in the retail sector.
Comments
0 comment