Says keeping plus points in mind, her party decided to vote in favour of UPA government; condemns Sushma Swaraj's comments and calls them 'ghatiya'
Bahujan Samajwadi Party (BSP) supremo Mayawati on Thursday said her party will vote in favour of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government on the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) in multi-brand retail issue in the Rajya Sabha.
“Keeping in mind all the plus points, our party has decided to vote in favour of the government,” Mayawati said during a debate on FDI in multi-brand retail issue in the Upper House of the Parliament.
ADVERTISEMENT
Lending support: Mayawati said that keeping in mind the positives of the FDI, her party was ready to support the Manmohan Singh-led government. File Pics
The former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) for their comments on BSP’s walkout in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday ahead of the voting on the FDI in multi-brand retail issue.
BJP leader Sushma Swaraj had criticised the move and said many were forced to give a leeway to the government on FDI, owing to the fear of federal investigating agency CBI (Central Bureau of Investigation).
While debating on FDI in multi-brand retail issue in the Rajya Sabha on Thursday, Mayawati called Swaraj’s comment ‘ghatiya’ (cheap).
Manmohan Singh
“We strongly condemn what Sushma Swaraj said about our party in Lok Sabha,” Mayawati said. Mayawati said: “We are often accused of being under pressure from the CBI. In fact, this has become fashionable for the Opposition.”
The BJP members protested against the BSP supremo’s remarks and called her language unparliamentary. Amid ruckus, the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for 10 minutes.
Pertinently, the BSP and Samajwadi Party (SP) lawmakers on Wednesday walked out of the Lok Sabha ahead of the voting, paving the way for the UPA government to win the vote.
Meanwhile, senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley earlier on Thursday hit out at the UPA government during the debate and called it a ‘lame duck’ government.
“After yesterday’s vote on FDI in retail in the Lok Sabha, it was proved that the UPA is a lame duck government.. You are dependent on support,” Jaitley said.
He said even the alliance partners of the government are against FDI. “Every change in this country is not a reform,” Jaitley said.
All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) leader V Maitreyan earlier moved the FDI motion in the Upper House of India’s Parliament.
Slamming the UPA government over the issue, Maitreyan said: “The government is spreading a wrong myth that FDI in retail is going to bring in employment. “
He said, “Manmohan Singh had opposed FDI when he was in the Opposition. Today, he is the prime mover of FDI in retail.”
Two days of fierce debate and political maneuvering by the Congress-led UPA government ended on Wednesday as it secured a victory in a parliamentary vote over allowing FDI in multi-brand retail with the help of unlikely allies even as the Opposition cried foul.
u00a0
Subscribe today by clicking the link and stay updated with the latest news!" Click here!
