Addressing the 'Convention Against FDI in Multi-Brand Retail Trade', CPI(M) Polit Bureau member Sitaram Yechury launched an attack on Congress-led UPA saying the government was responsible for disruption in Parliament for five days by not accepting the demand for vote on FDI.
"We had demanded a discussion entailing voting on FDI. For five days, the government did accept it. Government did not allow Parliament to function (by not allowing vote for five days) and it is responsible for this.
"They accepted for a vote after five days. They needed five days for arranging votes. If parties like SP, TDP and JD(S), who were with us on streets to protest, also vote against FDI, the government will be defeated," he said.
Yechury said if SP or BSP, which are opposed to FDI, abstain or vote with government then it will win.
Alleging that Congress knows how to "manage" votes citing JMM bribery case and cash for vote scam, he said, "The government is known for this. There is trading, may be wholesale trading. Congress has experience in this."
Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav, JD-S leader H D Deve Gowda and Chandrababu Naidu of TDP had courted arrest along with Left leaders in protest against FDI in retail.
Yechury said the government does not have majority in Rajya Sabha and it could lose the vote.
He also took potshots at Trinamool Congress saying it is the party which brought no-confidence motion but later said they would not insist on voting on FDI at the all-party meeting. "Why do Trinamool do this? To help whom?" he asked.
"The parties should honestly vote on this issue," he said.
