FDI in retail will lead to large-scale unemployment: BJP

BHOPAL: Strongly opposing FDI in multi- brand retail, Madhya Pradesh BJP today said the decision will only help companies like Walmart which were being "pushed out" of the US market, and render lakhs of Indians jobless.

Retail giants like Walmart were being "pushed out" of the American market but were being given shelter in India, State BJP President Prabhat Jha said.

Wherever these companies have entered, they have created problems like unemployment and caused decline in number of people taking up farming as profession, he said.

Jha was addressing a rally organised by BJP as part of its nationwide protest against the Congress-led UPA Government's decision to allow foreign investment in the retail sector and also price rise.

He asked the Centre to publish a white paper detailing how the FDI decision will help farmers and claimed the move will render jobless the country's one-third population currently engaged in self-employment.

The rally was also addressed by former Chief Minister and Bhopal MP Kailash Joshi and city Mayor Krishna Gour, among other BJP leaders.

Similar rallies were organised by the BJP in cities like Indore Jabalpur, Ujjain, Gwalior, Sagar, Satna, Rewa and Betul.