Disconnect between Cong & govt on FDI in retail: BJP

Bharatiya Janata Party on Wednesday charged that there were differences between Congress party and the government on allowing FDI in multi-brand retail and dared United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, General Secretary Rahul Gandhi and other senior party leaders to make their views public on the matter.

"Congress has not made its views clear on FDI in retail issue. That means there is a rift in Congress and between the ruling coalition and the government on the issue. Congress President Sonia Gandhi should make her views public on this issue," Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Sushma Swaraj told reporters.

She pointed out that at a recent Youth Congress function, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee had defended the government's decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi-brand retail but Sonia Gandhi and Rahul did not air their views on the issue.

"No senior leader of Congress- its party President or any of the General Secretaries- has defended the FDI decision," Swaraj said.

When informed that Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari had stated at a press conference that the party was fully with the government, Swaraj maintained he was a "light-weight" and since this was a burning issue a senior leader of the ruling party should clarify their stand.

"The government's view is clear that they want FDI in retail. The Prime Minister has categorically said so and he also got support of the majority in his cabinet to get the proposal passed. But since the party has not spoken, the message going out is that some senior leaders in Congress do not agree with the government," Swaraj said.