BJP admits it promised FDI in retail in 2004

Last Updated: Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 21:39

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Tags: BJP, FDI Retail, NDA

New Delhi: Much to its embarrassment, the BJP, which is vehemently opposing FDI in retail, on Tuesday admitted that the 2004 election manifesto of NDA had promised to allow 26 per cent FDI in the sector, and tried to explain away the volte-face on the issue.

"It is a reality. We have not denied it. But in 2009 we had changed it. In 2004, the NDA may have seen some merit.... We are not against the concept of FDI but not in retail. There may have been some rationale for it in 2004," Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Arun Jaitley told reporters in reply to a question.

Defending the change in stand by the BJP, which has firmly maintained that its position on the FDI issue was "non- negotiable", party leader Sushma Swaraj said that one could always revise one's opinion with time.

"There is no bar against wisdom...," she said.

Jaitley said, "In the 2004 elections there was no BJP manifesto but a vision document. In that also the BJP promised FDI in structured retail with a caveat that there will be no FDI in retail. However, the NDA manifesto (of 2004) promised FDI in retail."

This position was abandoned in 2009 elections when the BJP manifesto, authored by Murli Manohar Joshi, categorically said no FDI in retail would be allowed, ostensibly as the party was aggressively wooing small and medium traders.

NDA did not come out with a separate manifesto in these polls, Jaitley said.

PTI

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First Published: Tuesday, November 29, 2011, 21:39

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YSK Moorthy - Maharashtra
Nothing wrong. Any one who is wise enough will understand from experience. Atleast they (BJP) have the conviction to admit that they were wrong and have corrected their mistake. Why doesn`t Congress do this? Is it because many Italian retailers are waiting in the wings to come to India and swindle like Quatrochi - with the full blessings of the Gandhi family????

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Bhupendra - Ujjain
You RSS followers should understand that protesting only congress is not being nationalist. Since independence and even before independence whatever RSS expressed their worries about any congress steps proved wrong as the time passed. RSS is an organisation which only make conspiracy and provide false details among the people. Many a time people of India rejected their views but some times and specially some people were influenced.

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Pradeep - Coimbatore
It simply exposes the opportunistic policies of BJP. They know only to oppose what ever Congress lead UPA decides. Its strange that BJP is toying the lines of Indian Communists, who are frongs in a well. China`s communists could see the benefits but Bengal/Kerala Communits are blind and here goes BJP too. I have personally visited few countries in the Middle East and few in South Asia, its clear that Carrefour, Walmart can only strengthen the distribution stystem, storage etc which require huge investment. If such investment can come to India, it results in job creation and assurance of supply of quality produce. Here these opportunists want every one India to be blind and do not want us to check on what is the experience of countries who have welcomed these Supermarket chians. Until today, we were hopeful that BJP can be an alterntive to Congress. Now we have lost hopes on BJP but have to think about corning hopes on regional parties or leaders.

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nikhil - dubai
IT IS CLEARLY A SELFISH INTEREST ON PART OF BJP TO CONFESS THAT IT HAD CONSIDERED FDI IN 2004 ! ONLY TO CHANGE IT IN 2009. IN BOTH CASES THEN, IT HAD LOST THE ELECTIONS. DURING THAT PERIOD AND NOW THERE IS NOT MUCH OF A CHANGE IN INDIA AS FAR AS POOR PEOPLE ARE CONCERNED BUT FOR THE BETTERMENT HAS SHOWN IMPROVEMENT WITHOUT THE FDI. NOW WHEN THE GOVT WANTS TO BRING FDI WHICH AT LEAST AS A RESPONSIBLE OPPOSITION PARTY SHOULD GIVE SUPPORT TO THE GOVT AS IT IS IN THE LARGER INTEREST OF OUR COUNTRY !!! WHEN IT IS COUNTRIES INTERESTS BJP SHOULD AVOID PARTY LINE DIFFERENCES.