Top industry figures on Sunday came out in open support of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s efforts to open up FDI in retail and hit out at opponents of the move, saying they were resorting to a 'false drama' and that the perennial disruption of Parliament was 'sacrilegious'.
This comes when several parties, including those in the UPA, are speaking in different voices.
Congress crisis managers appeared determined to keep their allies in good humour, perhaps realising any sign of dissension would give the Opposition mileage and they would then press for a vote in both Houses.
The modification in the Congress’ line was reflected in AICC general secretary Janardan Dwivedi’s statement on Sunday that “Mamataji is our valuable ally”. He also virtually asked the government to “go slow” on the issue until it manages the numbers in the Lok Sabha.
A senior Union minister said the government can’t afford to ignore the views of smaller parties in the UPA and outside. “After all, they won elections, have a following in states,” he said.
The government is expected to hold fresh talks with political parties in an effort to evolve a consensus on the issue which could break the parliamentary logjam.
'House disruption is a crisis'
Two leading corporate honchos have termed Indian economy slowdown as “pale” in comparison to Parliament’s non-functioning, which they said was a “larger crisis”.
“A slowing economy seems to pale in comparison to the larger crisis at hand — that of a Parliament that is completely unable to function in the way these sacred institutions were set up to be. A democracy encourages openness and permits dissent, but perennial disarray and disruption is sacrilegious,” HDFC Bank chairman Deepak Parekh and Rajya Sabha member Ashok Ganguly, who is former chief of Unilever, said in a statement on Sunday.
Mr Parekh was among the prominent industry figures who recently wrote to the Prime Minister voicing concern on the “policy paralysis” in the government.
Referring to the reported move to put the decision on FDI in multi-brand retail on hold, the two industry leaders said: “Opposing investment in modern retail for the sake of it is only defending vested interests. Farmers, consumers and ordinary people must raise their voice against this false drama.”