Manmohan Singh opposed retail FDI when in opposition, claims Mamata

Targeting Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the UPA government's decision to allow FDI in retail, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee Monday published online correspondence purportedly between him and a traders' body to bring out his stand against the measure when he was in the opposition.

In a fresh post on her Facebook page, Banerjee referred to a copy of a letter dated Dec 20, 2004, (when Manmohan Singh was the prime minister) from the Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM) to him in which "they have mentioned that they wanted to know on Dec 6, 2002, (when Manmohan Singh was leader of opposition in the Rajya Sabha) whether the (then NDA) government was considering any proposal of permitting FDI in retail".

In response, Manmohan Singh wrote back Dec 22, 2002, that the matter was raised "in the Rajya Sabha two days ago and the finance minister gave an assurance that the government has no proposal to invite FDI in retail trade".

In the Dec 20, 2004 letter, the FAM's foreign trade committee chairman Chandrakant T. Shanghvi also claimed that Manmohan Singh had categorically told a delegation of the traders' body that "we should not permit FDI in retail trade... India does not require the kind of reforms which would, rather than creating employment, destroy employment".

Three days back Banerjee had taken a jibe at Manmohan Singh, and wondered whether the "power of (the) chair" was being misused to finish off the "aam admi (common people)".

"Is it not becoming clear that use of the name of Aam Aadmi, and misuse of power of chair, is to finish Aam Aadmi? Is it the game plan ! ! !" she wrote.

Banerjee's comments followed the prime minister's assertion that his government was voted to office twice to protect the interests of the common man.

After the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government's recent economic measures, the Trinamool withdrew support to the ruling coalition at the centre.