It looks like that the political environment in our country, is about to heat up. The reason for this would be the UPA-2 Governments decision to go ahead with the attempts to allow FDI in Airline industry and the multi brand retail sector. Anand Sharma, India’s commerce and industry minister had made it clear in an interview that the decision to this extent would be taken soon. Amongst these two aspects, FDI in multi brand retail in particular, is the bone of contention in the political arena. Many political parties including some of the allies of the UPA coalition are opposing this move. The argument of those, who stand against these investments, that could bring in the retail giants like the Wal-Mart into India, is that their entry would jeopardize the livelihoods of 4 crore people, who depend upon the retail sector for their livelihoods. In addition they say that, 20 crore more people would be affected adversely, in an indirect way, because of the entry of the foreign retail giants into the country. Thus this issue, which late last year has led to many protests, with in our parliament as well as on the streets of the country, is again going to catch the headers now. It is noteworthy that the hastening of the Governments moves to go ahead with these decisions was preceded by the comments made by the ‘Time’ magazine about Manmohan Singh, labeling him as an ‘Underachiever,’ and the latest remarks of the U.S president Obama, that India is creating obstacles to the foreign investments. The leaders of the ruling coalition went on board, by decrying the remarks made by Obama and asserting our sovereign powers in making decisions that pertain to our country. But, it looks like that these remarks were meant for only placating the wounded feelings of our countrymen and the actual practice goes in the other direction. The haste, with which the coalition Government at the center is proceeding in the direction of even confronting the serious political opposition, on these issues that matter a lot for the common man of the country, is certainly a valid proof for this argument…