Zeenews Bureau
New Delhi: After the Lok Sabha, the UPA government on Friday secured an easy victory in the Rajya Sabha as well on the issue of permitting FDI in multi-brand retail. And armed with the victory, the government declared that there was no stopping India`s reform process.
The Opposition-backed motion against FDI in multi-brand retail could manage 102 votes while the government secured 123, of the total 212 MPs present in the House.
While the 15-member BSP openly sided with UPA with a positive vote, Samajwadi Party - which has nine members in the House - staged a walkout expressing dissatisfaction over Commerce Minister Anand Sharma`s reply. In all, 19 members did not vote on the motion.
One member, cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, was away in Kolkata playing a match against England. Murli Deora (Congres), who is unwell, and rebel BJD leader Pyari Mohan Mahapatra were also absent.
The final tally came late at night after scrutiny of votes by Rajya Sabha Secretariat due to glitches in the automatic vote recording system. The earlier figure was 123 against the motion and 109 in its favour.
UPA has 94 members in the Upper House which has an effective strength of 244.
The vote capped a two-day animated debate during which the Opposition attacked the proposal to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail while the government strongly justified it saying it was in the best interest of the country.
The defeat of the motion moved by AIADMK member V Maitreyan in the Rajya Sabha came two days after the Lok Sabha voted out a similar motion.
The government’s victory paves the way for foreign equity in multi-brand retail in the country, a move seen as a major step forward in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh`s economic reforms process.
With this, global brands like Carrefour, Tesco and Wal-Mart can now set up stores in India.
As a disappointed Opposition claimed "moral victory" on the strength of the speeches made in the House over two days, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said after the vote: "Our reforms are on track."
Addressing the House during the debate, Commerce and Industries Minister Anand Sharma hit back at the Opposition and said the government had been "talking to everyone, farmers, traders, consumers, states".
Sharma slammed the Opposition for saying the FDI did not have the support of most MPs even if the final vote went in favour of the treasury benches.
"We challenge them," he said. "If we are a minority government, let them bring a no-confidence motion (against us)."
The government also held inter-ministerial consultations on the issue, heard the recommendations and then took the decision, Sharma said.
After the Parliament defeat, Communist leader D Raja accused the UPA government of "brazenly" identifying itself "with multinationals and then claims it is with aam admi". "The sense of the house is against FDI."
The AIADMK gave a "solemn assurance" that the next central government would reverse the FDI decision.
AIADMK leader V Maitreyan said the final vote on the issue would be cast by the people in the next election.
"I give a solemn assurance that after the next Lok Sabha elections, the next government will reverse the decision of the UPA.
"FDI will only be on paper and will not be implemented in states," he added.
The government’s move to provide 51 percent foreign equity in multi-brand retail has long been a contentious issue, stalling almost the entire first two weeks of the Winter Session of Parliament.
(With Agency inputs)
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.
Cookies Setting
By clicking “Accept All Cookies”, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device and the processing of information obtained via those cookies (including about your preferences, device and online activity) by us and our commercial partners to enhance site navigation, personalise ads, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts. More information can be found in our Cookies and Privacy Policy. You can amend your cookie settings to reject non-essential cookies by clicking Cookie Settings below.
Manage Consent Preferences
Strictly Necessary Cookies
These cookies are necessary for the website to function and cannot be switched off in our systems. They are usually only set in response to actions made by you which amount to a request for services, such as setting your privacy preferences, logging in or filling in forms. You can set your browser to block or alert you about these cookies, but some parts of the site will not then work or you may not be able to login.
Functional Cookies
These cookies enable the website to provide enhanced functionality and personalisation. They may be set by us or by third party providers whose services we have added to our pages. If you do not allow these cookies then some or all of these services may not function properly.
Targeting Cookies
These cookies may be set through our site by our advertising partners. They may be used by those companies to build a profile of your interests and show you relevant adverts on other sites. They are also used to limit the number of times you see an advert as well as help measure the effectiveness of an advertising campaign. They do not store directly personal information, but are based on uniquely identifying your browser and internet device. If you do not allow these cookies, you will experience less targeted advertising.
Performance Cookies
These cookies allow us to count visits and traffic sources so we can measure and improve the performance of our site. They help us to know which pages are the most and least popular and see how visitors move around the site. All information these cookies collect is aggregated and therefore anonymous. If you do not allow these cookies we may not know when you have visited our site, and may not be able to monitor its performance.