We should not imitate West: Advani on retail FDI

Senior BJP leader LK Advani on Saturday stressed that there was no need to imitate West on having multi-brand retail giants here like the Walmart and Tesco.

Zeenews Bureau

New Delhi: Senior BJP leader LK Advani on Saturday stressed that there was no need to imitate West on having multi-brand retail giants here like the Walmart and Tesco.

Speaking at a function here organised by a media house, Advani said he failed to understand as to why the decision on allowing FDI in retail sector was taken so suddenly.

“We should avoid imitation of the West. Walmart may be good for them, but it doesn’t serve us,” Advani said, adding “we should not be envious of Walmart”.

According to him, once big retailers enter India it would lead to unemployment here. “There are so many who would be displaced...,” he said.

Advani noted that people are opposed to FDI in retail. Bharat bandh have never been as successful as was on Thursday, he added.

Touching on the issue of scams, Advani said graft was hitting India’s image and added that good governance and corruption cannot go together.

“Good governance is more important than right sounding policies,” he told the summit. “If 2011 was year of scams, let 2012 become year of accountability,” he added.

Advani underlined that those found responsible for scams must get punished.

Speaking in context of his recent Jan Chetna Yatra, Advani said his yatras have always intended to highlight genuine secularism.

“I have always got immense support during my yatras,” he added.

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