Opinion Retail tales
The governments decision to open the retail sector to FDI seems beneficial to both farmers and consumers.
Retail tales
Apropos the editorial Re-tell retail (IE,December 1),serving and safeguarding the aam admis interest is the collective duty of Parliament,not just of the government. The governments decision to open the retail sector to FDI seems beneficial to both farmers and consumers. By disrupting the functioning of Parliament over that,the opposition is not only betraying ordinary citizens but also wasting taxpayers money and precious legislative time and shaking peoples faith in the system.
M.C. Joshi
States of politics
The opposition to FDI in retail throws up several interesting facets of our current politics. The Left is opposing FDI on principle,but it fails to realise those principles are outdated. The SP and the BSP are eyeing the trader vote-bank in UP where assembly elections are just months away. The BJP has overnight turned itself into a crusader to somehow unseat the government. Meanwhile,the Congress,as the principal constituent of the UPA,needs to educate its allies on the merits of the policy. As voters,we request the political class to let Parliament function so that we get to know how the
government defends its case. This is the least we can expect.
Kusum Chadda
New Delhi
Agit props
We have seen our politicians and civil society members at loggerheads. They have blamed each other on the sidelines of the previous session; now each seems to be intent on proving the others criticism right. After the washout of a few earlier sessions,the peoples representatives should not think of wasting this winter session. One is led to wonder if the forthcoming assembly election in UP has robbed all of them of a sense of proportion. Instead of debating issues on their merit,MPs seem to be pandering to their particular vote-banks. Inflation is high and the growth rate is plummeting,but no one is putting forth cogent arguments on FDI in the retail sector or on any other critical financial issues. Meanwhile,Anna Hazare and his team are fixated on their Lokpal draft. Agitations are like instant coffee ready to be whipped up.
R. Narayanan
Ghaziabad
Doing nothing
It is unfortunate that Parliament has not transacted any business ever since the winter session began on November 22. The government and the opposition should debate 51 per cent FDI in the multi-brand retail sector,instead of holding up the House. However,it must be said that the onus on ensuring the smooth functioning of Parliament lies with the Congress-led UPA government.
Shaikh Sharful Islam
Malad (West)
Share
