Attempts on for 'back door entry' of Walmart in Tamil Nadu, says DMK

Chennai: Key UPA constituent DMK, which supported Centre in the FDI vote in Parliament, on Thursday said attempts are on to provide "back-door entry" to global retail giant Walmart in the state even as Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had opposed FDI in multi-brand retail in the state. The DMK's Executive, which met under party chief M Karunanidhi, said reports had suggested Walmart was in the process of establishing a commercial complex at Vanagaram near Chennai and a marketing office at the prime location of Anna Nagar, which fall in the "state of domain" of Jayalalithaa.

While the Chief Minister has firmly announced her government would not allow FDI in the state,"there have been reports that the firm is offering (local) provision shops products at cheap rates and make them (its) members. Those in the government are sharing no information over the veracity of these reports", a resolution passed at the meeting said.

"This Executive insists that government probe the matter immediately and take efforts to ensure Walmart did not enter Tamil Nadu" it said. The party reiterated it had stood by the Manmohan Singh-led government on the FDI issue to ensure its stability and keep communal forces at bay but some persons were creating an image as if DMK supported FDI.

This came even as Chief Minister Jayalalithaa had opposed FDI in multi-brand retail in the state.

Without mentioning anyone in particular, it said "while claiming to help small traders, big firms like Walmart are being offered back-door entry to do business in Tamil Nadu," and condemned this. DMK's voting in favour of Government in Parliament included factors like keeping "communal" BJP or its supported government at bay and avoiding subsequent implications,besides Tamil Nadu government's decision to not implement FDI, the Executive said.

DMK, which has 18 Lok Sabha MPs, reasoned it supported UPA on the FDI vote for its stability and deny communal forces from exploiting the situation.

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