Senior BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi questioned government that if FDI in multi-brand retail is for the betterment of the country, why it is optional for the states?. Joining the heated debate over the boiling issue he said, "We are national and not anti-national. We accept that our thought to bring in FDI in some form in retail, though it was very little, was wrong and we have rectified it."

The former HRD minister was quick to add that FDI in retail has never been the part of BJP election manifesto as claimed by the UPA led government and emphasized if FDI is allowed in retail, countless poor farmers would become slaves to the foreign retail giants and if the farmers, the backbone of the economy became slaves then how the glorious democratic tradition would prevail ? he asked . He also said that the government may be ready to sacrifice itself, but it shouldn't sacrifice the interest of the country.   

Meanwhile, almost all the political heavyweights expressed their stand on the issue, unsurprisingly BJP and the opposition as a whole slammed the move whereas UPA and it's allies fought hard to defend it's stand. The eventful Wednesday saw wave after wave of heated arguments made by both sides. Joining in, the left parties , notably CPI attacked Prime minister Man Mohan Singh regarding his advocacy for allowing FDI in retail. CPI leader Gurudas Dasgupta said, "For the cause of Walmart, the Prime Minister is even ready to sacrifice his government." "We know the outcome, but we are not running away from voting. We want the country to know where we stand," Dasgupta further added.

In an interesting note, NCP leader Praful Patel added his two cents by saying, "FDI in retail is not new in the country. If you go to the malls you can see all goods from foreign countries available. It is a wrong perception that if we open out market to foreign markets, it will affect our small businesses. You are not against the malls, why? Because your leaders are building malls in Mumbai."

The UPA and it's allies are urging other parties to make a united  secular front against alleged communal forces like BJP, which comes as a shocker as so far UPA has the numerical superiority in the parliament. The voting process is scheduled to start on Wednesday evening 6 P.M.

(With inputs)

(AW-Jyotishman)