Congress urges Mamata Banerjee not to compromise with economic development

KOLKATA: West Bengal Congress today urged Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee not to compromise with economic development by stiffly opposing entry of FDI in multi-brand retail trade.

"We fail to understand why the Trinamool Congress chief is adamant in her stand against FDI when farmers will be benefitted by it. She should change her mind," WBPCC President Pradip Bhattacharya said here.

Contesting her stand that FDI would harm farmers, Bhattacharya said, "It is to the contrary."

"FDI will actually benefit farmers who incur huge losses over their produce perishing, just like last year's sale of potato at throwaway prices at many places by the farmers themselves," the Congress leader said.

Bhattacharya claimed that industrialisation had come to a halt in the state due to lack of planning, while the state government was only concerned with opposing FDI in retail.