Defending the decision to allow FDI in retail, Union Minister of Commerce and Industry Anand Sharma on Wednesday said the UPA does not believe in the word ’rollback’, as it made the move after much deliberation.

“We are not going to go back on the decision as we do not believe in the word ‘rollback’ and this decision was taken after consultation with each and every state,” he said.

He has also expressed confidence that the UPA government will last its full term.

Sharma was addressing the media at the state Congress headquarters following the inauguration of new campus of National Institute of Design (NID) at Gandhinagar.

“In last November, we had taken two decisions. One was to allow 51 per cent FDI in multi—brand retail and second was to allow 100 per cent in single brand. The second one was implemented but we suspended the implementation of first, until another round of consultations,” he claimed.

He firmly replied in affirmative when asked about whether TMC leader Mamata Banerjee was consulted prior to the latest decision.

“I have talked to Mamata Banerjee three times, wrote letters as I have written to all the chief ministers and then also talked to her,” he said.

Expressing shock over the strong criticism by Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi over the FDI issue, he said, “I am surprised the way Modi has reacted on the issue. We can show Draft Cabinet note in which Gujarat has endorsed FDI in multi—brand retail. Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh were the only two BJP—ruled states that were in favour of it during the first stage of consultations,” he said.

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