UP Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav today said Samajwadi Party has reservations over allowing FDI in retail before addressing farmers’ issues. “FDI in retail should not happen till the farmers and their products are protected,” he said in an interaction with members of FICCI Ladies Organisation in New Delhi.

Two days after father Mulayam Singh Yadav wrote to the Prime Minister against allowing foreign direct investment in multi-brand retail, son Akhilesh Yadav has said he is not against FDI, if the interest of farmers is protected.

The 39-year-old Chief Minister of Uttar Pradesh said at a FICCI meet in New Delhi today, “We are not against FDI in retail. FDI must come, but our only reservation is that farmers’ interests must be protected. Our farmers and villagers shouldn’t have to bear any loss. If our manufacturing sector is not strengthened, our retail sector and markets will face difficulties.”

Mr Yadav did carefully qualify his statement by saying, “My party and Netajji (Mulayam Singh Yadav)have said that as long as the interests of farmers and small shop-keepers are not protected, our opposition to it (FDI in retail) will continue.”