Prabhjot Singh Gill
File-A Bharti Walmart best price store in Punjab
Uproar in RS Over Rs 125 Cr Walmart Lobbying
The issue of Wal-Mart lobbying today led to a political storm with Opposition creating pandemonium in the Rajya Sabha and promising to create further trouble tomorrow by pressing its demand for a probe and a statement by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

BJP, CPI-M, CPI, SP, JD-U, Trinamool Congress, AGP and AIADMK used the issue to target the government over its decision to allow 51 per cent FDI in retail.

These parties created ruckus in the Rajya Sabha soon after the Question Hour, alleging that the US giant had indulged in corruption to enter Indian market. The uproar led to three adjournments till 2 PM when the House was adjourned finally for the day.

Though the issue did not figure in the Lok Sabha today, the Opposition has decided to rake it up there tomorrow.

"It is a very very serious issue. It has been raised in Rajya Sabha today. We propose to raise it in Lok Sabha tomorrow," senior BJP leader Yashwant Sinha told reporters.

When pointed out that lobbying is not illegal in the US, the former External Affairs Minister said, "I know it is allowed in the US. But the laws of the two countries are different. Lobbying in the US does not mean corruption but in India, it does. That is the difference. There is illegality."

Earlier, Ravishankar Prasad (BJP) raised the issue in the Rajya Sabha during the Zero Hour. He said apprehensions were raised earlier also about Wal-Mart spending huge money to lobby for entering the Indian market and that it has now been proved true.

He was supported by members of other opposition parties.

Bharti Wal-Mart issued a statement, saying the opposition allegations of corruption are "entirely false". It said the amount mentioned in its disclosure is a "compilation of expenses associated with staff, association dues, consultants and contributions spent in the US."

The Wal-Mart lobbying issue brought back into focus the decision on FDI with Opposition uniting even as motions brought by it got defeated in both Houses last week with government securing numbers with the help of BSP and SP.

Prasad said that Wal-Mart has in its lobbying disclosure report to the US Senate said it has spent Rs 125 crore on lobbying and USD three million have been spent in 2012 itself for entering the Indian market.

"Lobbying is illegal in India. Lobbying is a kind of bribe. If Wal-Mart has said that hundreds of crores of rupees were spent in India, then it is a kind of bribe. Government should tell who was given this bribe. This raises a question mark on the implementation of FDI in retail," he said.

The BJP leader was supported by TMC leader D Bandopadhyay who waved a newspaper report and CPI-M member P Rajeeve who demanded an "independent inquiry" into the whole episode alleging that there are some reports saying Wal-Mart invested money even before FEMA was amended.

"This is bribery," he said as the Opposition members shouted slogans in favour of withdrawing FDI.

Amid din, SP members trooped into the Well shouting slogans against the government's move to bring reservation in promotion for SCs/STs. Government has listed the Constitution (117th Amendment) Bill, 2012 for this purpose in the House.

Earlier, Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Rajiv Shukla assured the members that he would bring the matter to the notice of the minister concerned. This was, however, rejected by the Opposition which insisted on a response from the Prime Minister.

T Siva (DMK) was also on his feet.

Minister of State in PMO V Narayanasamy was heard saying "what more they (the Opposition) want, when he (Shukla) has said that he will bring it to the notice of the minister concerned".

While BSP members kept seated, those from SP were on their feet joining the issue with BJP and Left.
Emerging story. Watch this space for updates as more details come in
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Digression

11/D-138
Dec 11, 2012
06:18 PM

 For someone who saw the Bofors era in person, the way opposition struggled to expose the corrupt CON government in late 1980s, it is a feeling of Deja vu..

And let me add here that history will repeat.. We may see a very very long era of Non dynasty governments after 2014  . Or atleast that is my hope...

May the good work of opposition in exposing the CON party corruption continue. 

Ramki, Delhi
10/D-64
Dec 11, 2012
11:54 AM

I don't believe in this trash. These politicians, who are involved in the scams worth Rs. 176000 crore, 70000 crore etc., cannot be bought for just Rs. 125 crore. Rs. 125 crore are just penauts compared to other scams.

Gurujee, Pune
9/D-47
Dec 11, 2012
10:31 AM

 Lobbying illegal in India, says Yeshwant Sinha? What about all those lobbyists and "liaison" agents who have openly been prowling the corridors of power in Delhi for over half a century? didn't he encounter any of them when he was Finance Minister? Everyone knows about this practice. So why doesn't YS and his ilk go after them first?

Ramesh Ramachandra, Bangalore
8/D-33
Dec 11, 2012
08:48 AM

 A little introspection, perhaps, why it should be so difficult to sell toothpaste and shaving gel in India.

ashok lal, mumbai
7/D-9
Dec 11, 2012
03:19 AM

Read the article "Hillary and Walmart, a love affair", in
www.huffingtonpost.com/jonathan-tasini/hillary-and-walmart-a-lov_b_15235.html , which only proves how Congress party which was against FDI in multibrand retail a few years ago, had changed course after the last official visit of Hillary Clinton,

Also recently the Indian joint venture of Wal-Mart Stores Inc has suspended its chief financial officer and other employees as it investigates alleged violations of U.S. anti-bribery laws, which makes it amply clear that money has changed hands.

Any guess how Kamal Nath maged the numbers during FDI voting in both houses!

Shyamal Barua, Kolkata
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