Walmart Lobbying Issue

Walmart 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 Walmart has said that hundreds of crores of rupees were spent in India, then it is a kind of bribe. The government should tell who was given this bribe. This raises a question mark on the implementation of FDI in Retail.

BJP to raise Walmart lobbying issue in Parliament

BJP today Tuesday Dec11,2012 said it was determined to raise the matter in both Houses of Parliament and seek suspension of Question Hour.

"We will raise in both Houses reports of Walmart spending huge money to lobby for entry the Indian market. While Yashwant Sinha  will raise the issue in LS ,M Venkaiah Naidu will raise it in Rajya Sabha today," BJP's Chief Spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasadtold

BJP had yesterday Monday Dec 10,2012  raised the issue in Rajya Sabha, forcing two adjournments. " The main opposition party was supported by CPI-M, CPI, SP, JD-U, TMC, AGP and AIADMK, whose members demanded a probe, saying "corruption" has come to the fore

Walmart Issue: Govt. Not Averse to Probe

 

The Walmart lobbying issue rocked Parliament for the second day on Tuesday Dec 11,2012, prompting government to declare that it had no hesitation in ordering a probe into reports that the retail giant had spent money to further its case in India.

“We have no hesitation in having an inquiry to get to the facts of the matter. We will announce further steps in the House today,” Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath said in the Lok Sabha

 

Govt. orders judicial probe into Walmart lobbying

Bowing to opposition pressure, the government on announced a time-bound inquiry by a retired judge into reports of lobbying by retail giant Walmart to gain entry into India.

Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath made the announcement as soon as the Lok Sabha met for the day on Wednesday Dec 12,2012

“Government will appoint a retired judge to hold a time-bound inquiry into the media reports regarding Walmart,”