Left to campaign against FDI in and outside Parliament

KOLKATA: Chairman of West Bengal's Left Front Biman Bose today said that Left parties would oppose FDI in retail in Parliament and also campaign outside.

"Discussion begins in Parliament on the issue. Left members will be vocal against it in the house. We opposed FDI in retail when the NDA government at the Centre wanted to bring it. Subsequently, the Left opposed it when the first UPA government also wanted to introduce it. Left which provided outside support to the first UPA government resisted the move," Bose, A CPIM politburo member, here said.

Stating that the Left also voiced opposition when the second UPA government brought FDI in retail, he claimed that it would seriously affect small shopkeepers, hawkers and crores of people from village to city while protecting the interests of multi national companies.

He said "the Manmohan Singh government introduced FDI in retail trade to please the USA."