AAP's decision to overturn FDI 'devoid of any logic': Commerce Minister Anand Sharma

Aam Aadmi Party barred FDI in retail in Delhi yesterday. Manmohan Singh had thrown open the country's $500 billion retail industry to foreign investors in late 2012, allowing companies such as Wal-Mart Stores Inc and Tesco PLC to own a majority stake in local chains for the first time. Anand Sharma speaks on the issue.

Here are the highlights:

• Arvind Kejriwal and his party do not have any comprehension of the policy. We are not a banana republic.
• They are a minority government, supported from outside.
• No reason has been given on their communication to DIPP.
• Their writing to DIPP is baffling, it is devoid of any merit or logic.
• Policy reversal is not that easy.
• Those states which opted for it took a legitimate decision, I will ask my officers to examine that.
• I would like to ask Mr Kejriwal, are you for organised retail - which is big retail?
• He is supporting interests of the middleman - let the people judge this.
• Announcements are not fulfilment of policy.
• Populism bordering anarchy is not good governance, theatrics should be avoided.
• Take the case of IKEA, they took 14 months but finally they are here.
  
• BJP speaks only for middlemen. We are a constitutional democracy.