'No problem if govt sacrificed for harsh decision'

Barabanki: Terming the FDI in retail as an "essential injection" to boost the country's economy, Union minister Beni Prasad Verma on Saturday said there would be no problem even if the government had to be sacrificed in the process of taking harsh decisions to maintain economy.

"The foreign direct investment in retail is an essential injection to boost the health of country's economy," Verma said.

The Union Steel Minister said, "there would be no problem even if the government had to be sacrificed in the process of taking harsh decisions to maintain economy."

"The parties which are today opposing FDI are the ones who had included it in their election manifestos in the past... it was essential for the economy," said Verma in his home district on Saturday evening.

The union minister recalled that BJP in 2004 Lok Sabha polls and Trinmool Congress in 2009 had favoured FDI in their manifestos but now these very parties are opposing it.

Referring to global economy, Verma said that the present scenario was bad and under such circumstances, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has taken the risk following which rupee has strengthened and the markets have improved.

To a question, Verma said, "with Mamata departing, we as well as Government is now at peace... the government has majority and there is no danger to its future.

"It will complete its term and the next elections would be help in 2014".

Claiming that small traders would not suffer because of FDI and farmers would get the price of their produce in their farms itself, he said that people would also get goods at cheaper rates.

Terming the role of middlemen as the main reason of inflation, Verma said that they become wealthy but lead to inflation. This would be controlled through FDI, he said adding that three crore unemployed would get jobs with FDI.

On the occasion Verma also thanked SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and BSP president Mayawati for continuing support to the UPA government at the time when it was facing opposition attacks on the issue of price rise.