By IANS,
New Delhi : Criticised for perceived policy paralysis, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Friday pushed the contentious decision to allow 51 percent FDI in multi-brand retail.
Informed sources said Manmohan Singh reportedly pushed for the decision at the meeting of the cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA), saying the UPA government needs to “bite the bullet” if it has to.
“We have to bite the bullet. If we have to go down, let us go down fighting,” the prime minister was quoted by sources as having said at the meeting.
The strong position taken by Manmohan Singh is a repeat of 2008 when he staked the survival of the UPA-I government over the civil nuclear deal with the US.
That decision led the Left to withdraw support to the government, forcing a trust vote in the Lok Sabha which the government won.