Tuesday, August 30 2005 15:53 Hrs (IST) - World Time -

New Delhi: The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) Opposition was today (August 30, 2005) joined by United Progressive Alliance (UPA) supporters, Left parties and Samajwadi Party, in the Rajya Sabha while opposing the move to allow FDI in retail sector.

Raising the issue, senior BJP member Murli Manohar Joshi expressed concern over the proposal and demanded a thorough discussion on it before the Government took a policy decision.

He said since today was the last day of the Monsoon session of Parliament, the discussion can take place in the Winter Session and till then the Government should keep the proposal in abeyance.

His party colleagues, Sushma Swaraj and S S Ahluwalia, expressed apprehensions that Government may push through an ordinance allowing FDI in retail sector during the inter-session period.

They were supported by Left party members Nilotpal Basu, Dipankar Mukherjee and Brinda Karat (all Communist Party of India-Marxist), who wanted that the Government should take Parliament into confidence before taking any decision on the matter.

Responding to the concerns expressed by the members, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Suresh Pachauri said the matter was important and topical and assured them that he would convey their sentiments to the Commerce Minister and also to the Prime Minister.

Mukherjee also raised the issue of a diamond-exporting unit, employing 1150 workers, in Vizag Export Processing Zone, flouting labour laws.

Rudra Narayan Pany (BJP), Rashid Alvi (Congress) and Tarlochan Singh (Ind) raised separate matters of public importance.