BSP defends voting for UPA on FDI issue

Facing criticism for bailing out the government on the issue of Foreign Direct Investment in retail, the Bahujan Samaj Party on Friday said it voted with the United Progressive Alliance in Rajya Sabha as its defeat would have lead the Opposition to demand its resignation, on the ground that it does not enjoy a majority.

In a statement, the party said though it had abstained during the voting in Lok Sabha, it decided to vote for the government as not doing so would have meant the Opposition- sponsored resolution on FDI in retail would have been passed.

"This would have given the Opposition another opportunity to play politics by using this issue as a pretext. The Opposition would then have raised this issue everyday and not allowed the House to function, which would have prevented the passage of crucial bills related to people's welfare," the statement said.

Mayawati's party listed the Scheduled Caste/Scheduled Tribe Reservation in Promotion Bill, Food Security Bill and Lokpal Bill as the main pending legislations.

"Most of these bills would have got stuck and the government would have used this (FDI in retail) case to put them in cold storage on the pretext that it does not want to seek a vote," the party said.

BSP had found loopholes in the FDI policy and suggested to the government on the floor of Parliament to do a study before implementing the policy, it said.

The party said that the fact that the Centre did not forcefully impose this policy on state governments was a welcome step.

The BSP also said it does not want to be seen standing along side parties which are encouraging communal forces, a reference to the Bharatiya Janata Party.

"So, keeping all these aspects in mind, our party decided to vote with the government," it said.