A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh bit the bullet and announced a slew of economic reform measures, opposition parties have called for nationwide protests on September 20 against the decision to allow Foreign Dir-ect Investment in multi-brand retail, hike in diesel prices, cap on subsidised LPG cylinders and divestment in profitable PSUs.
The Confederation of Indian Traders also called for a Bharat Bandh on September 18 to protest approval of 51 per cent FDI in retail trade.
“The decision to allow FDI in multi-brand retail is dangerous. The Centre should immediately drop the proposal since it will affect local industries and impact people’s liveliho-od,” said CPI general secretary Suravaram Sudha-kar Reddy on Saturday.
He said the Left parties, along with like-minded political parties such as Samajwadi Party, BJD, Telugu Desam, Janata Dal (S) and others would join the protests.
“The decision will affect 2 crore people in retail trade and 4 crore others de-pendent on their income, across the country. It’s a dangerous decision and should be immediately recalled. We will fight till it is rolled back,” the CPI leader said.
Backing the protest planned for September 20, TD chief N. Chandrababu Naidu said the UPA government has hit the common man hard with a series of “anti-people” policies. “Mahatma Gandhi banished foreign goods during the freedom struggle to encourage local trade. The UPA government is reversing the Mahatma’s decisions in the name of globalisation,” Mr Naidu said.
Criticising the hike in diesel prices by Rs 5 per litre, he said it would have a cascading effect on all sectors, including the farm sector.
“How can the government surrender to the corporate world? Inflation has also gone up from 6.8 per cent to 7.5 per cent,” Mr Naidu said.
The Trinamool Congress, a key constituent of the UPA, has set a 72-hour deadline for the UPA government to roll back the decision on FDI in retail and hike in diesel prices or face the consequences.