NEW DELHI: Former Army chief Gen V K Singh slammed the government's decision to bring in FDI in multi-brand retail saying the move would not benefit farmers as procurement would be outsourced from other countries at cheaper prices.
Joining in a Parliament gherao by farmers under the banner of the Rashtriya Kisan Mazdoor Sangathan (RKMS) on Tuesday, Singh demanded that the Rangarajan committee report on freeing the sugar sector be junked.
On FDI, he said even when Pepsico came to India, it was said that it would help farmers but that was never the case. "In India, we have an excellent model in terms of Amul to empower farmers. We can bring about the same change what people are trying to bring through FDI by making suitable modifications to the Amul model," he said.
Singh said farmers would not be benefited because the multi-brand retailers would import cheap items from other countries and not procure them from within India.
On the Rangarajan committee report, Singh said, "No politician has worked for farmers. They get votes from you people by promising many things, but they forget that there is a community called farmers after the elections. Next time, when you go to the polling booth, think who will fight for you and then vote only for that person.''
However, the former Army chief said he was not supporting any particular party but was only asking farmers to keep their "betterment in mind" before pressing the EVM button.
The protesters gathered near Parliament Street police station, less than a kilometre from Parliament House, and raised slogans demanding that the report be rejected.
RKMS's V M Singh said there was a need to raise a 'Kisan Sena' in the country that would fight for farmers' rights. He added that if the government did not pay heed to the farmers' demands, they would go on indefinite dharna at Boat Club.
Dubbing as "anti-farmer" the Rangarajan committee report which has recommended phased decontrol of the highly regulated Rs 80,000-crore sugar industry, he said the prime minister and Parliament should not accept the report.
FDI in retail will not help farmers: V K Singh
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FDI in retail will not help farmers: V K Singh
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FDI in retail will not help farmers: V K Singh
