The CPI - M on Wednesday dubbed the government move to allow 100 percent FDI in e - commerce retail "an outright surrender to the big foreign e - commerce retail firms" and demanded its scrapping.
"This is clearly announced to appease foreign capital on the eve of (Prime Minister Narendra) Modi's US visit, " the Communist Party of India - Marxist said in a statement.
"It is also a surrender to the pressures of the EU (European Union) keeping in mind the ongoing Free Trade Agreement talks with EU and the prime minister's visit to Brussels. "
The CPI - M said the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) had been vocal against the FDI in retail trade when it was in the opposition.
"Now it has done a somersault. Allowing of FDI in e - commerce will facilitate the backdoor entry of FDI in retail. This will affect the livelihood of lakhs of small retailers in the country. "
The CPI - M demanded that "this harmful policy be immediately rescinded".