We represent 'outdated' common man: Mamata's swipe at PM

A A

Agencies: New Delhi, Dec 15 2012, 15:56 IST

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today countered Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's criticism of those opposing FDI in retail, saying she was with the common man who was "outdated".

"What can we do? We are grassroot-level people, we are the representative of the people. And the common man is always backdated (outdated). I am proud to say we are with the people," she told reporters here after addressing the 85th Annual General Meeting of FICCI here, where the Prime Minister made the remarks.

Mamata, whose party has vehemently opposed FDI in multi- brand retail and has quit the ruling UPA alliance on this issue, was responding to Singh's remarks terming those opposing to FDI as being outdated.

Referring to opposition to opening of the retail sector to global supermarkets, Singh said: "I am afraid that those who oppose these moves are either ignorant of global realities or are constrained by outdated ideologies.

Making a spirited appeal to India Inc to invest in West Bengal, Mamata said her government has recently approved a land allotment policy to introduce transparency and it was for the investors to "nurture the potential available in the state".

"Our (people from Bengal) talent is very good. Our talent work everywhere from NASA to bhasa... from computer to compounder. If you want to nurture it, invest in the state, don't worry," she said.

"Labour is very cheap (in Bengal). We don't allow factory to close down and strike as they earlier used to," she said, referring to the previous Left Front

... contd.

Ads by Google

Single Page Format

1 | 2 | 3 | Next

Bengal will lead India from Delhi: Mamata Banerjee Day after, Sovan keeps dissension lid openBengal will lead India from Delhi: Mamata Banerjee We will alter policies to accelerate growth: PM

Previous Story Beckham unlikely to play in Australia: Perth owner Next Story Rajat Gupta says shouldn't be required to pay $6.78 mn to Goldman

Reader's Comments (3)| Post a Comment

Mamata's comments on being outdated

A.R.VENKAT | 15-Dec-2012Reply | Forward

Why Mamata is so poor in learning and understanding basics- it says clearly that one needs to grow to become something else will be stuck in hole only. Traders have come from Gujarat and other parts of country set up house in Bengal and have grown but people like Mamata have not been able to understand this doctrine. Today one has his children staying with him but when the child grows he moves elsewhere to grow further-this is like FDI-Newer technologies etc will come to India and we have to adapt to this also-10 yrs back mobiles came and we were resistant but today it is part and parcel of life.Pity why we have such fools as Chief Ministers in India where companies run away once they see Hitlerwoman coming -case of Tatas, Infosys, Wipro shutting shop and moving elsewhere shows that the new CM is no different from communism-she is upgrade communism 2012-????? Regards

Mamta vs Communists

Naresh Chand | 15-Dec-2012Reply | Forward

Mamtaji's whole politics is over aam admi but what she is doing is to distribute equallity of poverty among aam admi, who is struggling to come out of bonds of poverty to live a decent life. In the matter she is competing with communists who still believe in theories of Marx & Lenien. While else where it has been discarded, USSR has fallen to Russia, China has accepted the capitalist ways, the two giant of communists world have fallen down, but Indian Communists & neo communist Mamta Banerji are singing the old tune.

A Wrong Statement

Dr.M.M.HAZARIKA PhD | 15-Dec-2012Reply | Forward

As and when one is committed to do good to the Nation rather than thinking of oneself;all actions of one bound to produce a positive result.Why Mahatma Gandhi encourage hand weaving than opting to buy direct product produced through the use of Machine which was the basis of liberation of INDIA being a higher thought was behind it but we never expanded following it due to misinterpreting this most valued 'pronouncement'.None ever tell that Retail FDI is bad but timing inappropriate being we produced limitless middlemen through our thoughtless actions to live on such cultivated products by making 1gm to 1kg.These Public who constituted most of us shall go;once their work is taken away? Therefore who is more ignorant is a matter of debate.A win in the Parliament never confirm that our action(s) is or are correct but it merely expressing a view on a particular matter; nonetheless direct cash transfer is just one step to block just one loophole only out of limitless.