New Delhi, February 3 (IANS). Opposition leaders have targeted BJP over the India-US trade agreement. He said that we also know how the talks were held with America. Earlier we were strong, now we are becoming weak.
On the India-US trade agreement, Congress JB Mather said, “It seems that through our government or our Prime Minister, India does not know what is happening or what the deal is. Be it the announcement of ceasefire or the announcement of trade deal, it seems that President Trump is the one making all the announcements.”
He said that we have completely surrendered before President Trump and America. Don’t we have any identity of our own? We need clarity on many things because President Trump says that India is not going to buy oil from Russia but from Venezuela and America. Agriculture sector will be opened. So, what is the security of our farmers? They also say that there will be zero tariff on American goods in the Indian market. When Parliament is in session, the confidence of the Parliament and the people of India is definitely necessary.”
Congress MP Ujjwal Raman Singh said, “Today we got a disappointing news. We were helpless. If Parliament was in session, the Prime Minister should have made this announcement in the House. But the President made it a day earlier. What does this mean? He had decided that only if we buy oil from Venezuela, he will reduce the tariff. So India’s interests have been compromised. The country can see what price we have had to pay for this agreement. Our decades with Russia. The old relationships are over, and we’re going somewhere else.”
Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala said, “America’s Agriculture Minister has said that in this trade deal, all the agricultural products of America will be sold in India at zero duty. There cannot be a bigger betrayal than this for the farmers of the country. Now America’s cotton will be sold in India without duty. Its maize, wheat, dairy products, almonds, walnuts and pistachios will be sold here. What will happen to the Indian farmers? Doesn’t the government know that India is taxing the agricultural and milk products there? Ban imposes that we want to protect our farmers?
Congress MP Manish Tiwari said, “The way this announcement has been made, it is a direct attack on India’s strategic independence. Trump has announced on social media that India will not buy oil from Russia. There will be 18 percent tax on exports from India to America and there will be zero tariff on America’s exports to India. This is a direct attack on India’s strategic independence.”
SP MP Dimple Yadav said, “Was the tariff 18 percent earlier also? This raises the question that it has not been announced by the Indian government, it has been announced by US President Trump. America’s attitude shows that our Foreign Ministry is not able to deal the way it should.”
SP MP Ram Gopal Yadav said, “There must be some hidden agenda in this. Maybe it is about purchasing arms, maybe it is about not buying oil from Russia… Everything is secret, nothing is open.”
SP MP Anand Bhadauria said, “What is this relationship called? Sometimes soft, sometimes hot, sometimes sour, sometimes sweet. The Sensex crashed and the prices of gold and silver fell simultaneously. Lakhs and crores of rupees of the common people were lost. We will discuss this in our party and if there is a consensus, we will raise this issue in the House. Who are these middlemen who are looting the common man?”
–IANS
SAK/AS
