CPM accuses Didi of hijacking its anti-FDI movement, CPI backs her

CPM leaders today termed Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee's stand on FDI in retail as a "show" to "mislead" people and accused her of "hijacking" their movement, while CPI MP Gurudas Dasgupta lauded the Trinamool chief for taking the "positive" step.

Dasgupta, who has always raised his voice in Parliament against FDI in multi-brand retail, said, "The stand of Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on FDI in multi-brand retail is positive. We thank her for her stand."

Asked about supporting the Trinamool MPs in Parliament during a debate on FDI, Dasgupta said, "We are raising our voice against FDI in retail for the last 10 years and we will keep doing so. At present, we will join the protest with anybody who opposes the government's decision to allow FDI in retail."

The CPM, an ally of the CPI, however termed Mamata's stand as "showing off" and "a deliberate act to mislead the people and help the US corporates".

Left Front chairman Biman Bose said, "We have been fighting against the entry of FDI in our country since 2002, when the NDA government tried to open the market. We were successful in stalling the move. Again in 2004, the UPA government tried to bring FDI and we opposed it. We did the same in 2005 when UPA II tried to implement policies supporting FDI. But suddenly and shockingly, the Trinamool robbed our slogans and hijacked our anti-FDI movement to woo the people. She is trying to become more Leftist than the Left. They have started pretending to be a pro-people party. But I can vouch for the fact that it is simply showing off and an attempt to mislead the people."

Bose added, "I warn everybody not to believe in her 'Manmohani' words. It is a conspiracy like Indira Gandhi's in 1971. She was asked by the US government to pose as a pro-people leader and shout against US policies to gain people's support. I see a similar situation now. US secretary of state Hillary Clinton meet Mamata in a closed-door chamber and nobody knows what was discussed. Yet again we saw US ambassador to India Nancy Powell holding a closed-door meeting and again nobody knows what was discussed. Is that not a sign of hatching conspiracy?"

... contd.

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