No going back on FDI: UPA

The UPA Government has slammed opponents of FDI in retail and has asserted that there would be no going back on the policy.

Union Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said on Sunday that the government was more than prepared for any challenge on the issue in Parliament.

“A government cannot be expected to have vetting of its policy and endorsement of executive decisions either by ideological opponents, some of whom have blinkers on, or those who have partisan agenda,” he said, adding that the government has the numbers in Parliament.

Asked to comment on Trinamool Congress’ decision to bring a no-confidence motion on FDI, he said: “In a democracy, there can be difference of opinion and it is expected of the opponents of the government to take a position with regard to policy decisions... (But) here is a decision which is in executive domain which requires no legislative approval. In the history of Indian parliamentary democracy, an executive decision has never been dragged into Parliament motions.”

Sharma was talking to journalists en route to Phnom Penh, Cambodia, along with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.