New Delhi, Dec 1 (IANS) Asserting that there was no question of rollback of the government’s decision to allow 51 percent foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, Congress Thursday said its allies will back the government in case of a floor test and dared the opposition to bring a no confidence motion.
‘No question, at present, of roll back,’ party spokesman Raashid Alvi told reporters here.
Blaming the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Left and some other parties for the stalemate in the house on the government’s decision, Alvi said members from opposition benches start raising ruckus even before the presiding officers take their position.
He also sought to allay apprehension that Trinamool Congress and DMK will not side with the government in case of a floor test on the decision of allowing FDI in retail.
‘Allies are with us,’ he said.
Asked why the government was not agreeing to an adjournment motion on the FDI issue if it was sure of its numbers, Alvi said it was for the presiding officers of the two houses to decide rules under which the matter would be discussed.
‘They (the opposition) can bring no confidence motion,’ he said.
He said that repeated stalling of the house by the opposition was ‘very unfortunate’ and the government had mandate from people to take decisions.
‘The opposition can keep its views, can criticize, but it is unfortunate that they are not allowing parliament to function,’ Alvi said.
Contending that FDI in retail was in the interest of the country, he hoped some solution will be found to the impasse on the issue in parliament.
Alvi claimed that the BJP had also mooted the idea of FDI in retail in 2004 elections.
Opposition protests Thursday on the issue led to adjournment of parliament for the eighth day.
