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New Delhi : Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday, trained guns at Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-United States trade deal framework, calling him “compromised” and alleging pressure that the former is “under pressure”.
Addressing Congress’ Kisan Mahachaupal in Bhopal, Gandhi challenged PM Modi to cancel the deal after the US Supreme Court ruled against Trump tariffs. Repeating the “sold India” allegations against the Prime Minister, he accused the Centre of providing the data of Indians to the US.
Rahul Gandhi said, “The trade agreement with the United States was stalled for four months because it involved agriculture and agricultural products. The Indian government did not want American companies to sell their products here. India’s farmers, farm workers, and even the government didn’t want this. In my address, I was not just talking about (former Army Chief) Naravane ji. After I finished my address, without consulting his own cabinet ministers, PM Modi called Trump. He lied, pretended that Congress’ woman MPs were about to attack, but instead called directly and said he was ready to do the deal. You can see in his eyes that PM Narendra Modi is compromised.”
“Other countries decided to abandon the deal after the US Supreme Court decision, but PM Modi stayed silent. I challenge Modi ji from this platform that when the US Supreme Court has given its verdict on the deal, then cancel the deal with America. He cannot cancel the deal due to pressure from Trump. India has the largest population and the largest amount of data. But PM Modi gave all our data to the US. If there were no pressure on PM Narendra Modi, he would not have done this. He sold India to save his image and political future,” he added.
Congress’ criticism of the trade deal framework comes as India agreed to eliminate or reduce tariffs on all US industrial goods and a wide range of US food and agricultural products, including dried distillers’ grains (DDGs), red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruit, soybean oil, wine and spirits, and additional products.
While, as per the deal, the United States was to levy a reciprocal tariff rate of 18 per cent, after the US court verdict, Trump announced a global tariff rate of 15 per cent.
Gandhi had also recalled his address in the Parliament during the Budget Session, alleging that the Centre is not letting him speak in the Lok Sabha.
Reinvoking ex-Army Chief General MM Naravane’s unpublished memoir, the Congress MP said that PM Modi “disappeared” when the army required him to make a decision amid the standoff against China in 2020.
Rahul Gandhi said, “After the President’s address in Parliament, the first speaker in the Lok Sabha is always the Leader of Opposition (LoP). But, for the first time in the history of India, the Leader of the Opposition was not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha. I was interrupted as soon as I began my address.”
“Naravane ji wrote in his book that Chinese tanks were advancing towards the Indian border. When Naravane ji called Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on the phone and asked for orders, he received no response. Naravane ji also called NSA Ajit Doval and Foreign Minister S. Jaishankar, but got no reply. After two hours, Naravane ji called Rajnath Singh again, requested orders once more, because the decision to fire against the Chinese army was to be taken by the Prime Minister. An Army Chief cannot make a decision on war, as it is a political decision,” he added.
Citing General Naravane, he accused the Centre of leaving the army “alone.”
“Rajnath Singh spoke to PM Modi. The Prime Minister did not speak to the Army Chief and hid in his room. The PM told Rajnath Singh: Tell Naravane ji- ‘Do whatever you deem appropriate’. Naravane ji wrote in his book that on that day, the Government of India and the Prime Minister left him and the army alone. When it was time for the Army Chief to receive orders and stop China, Prime Minister Narendra Modi disappeared,” the Congress leader said.
Rahul Gandhi had cited a magazine article based on General Naravane’s unpublished memoir, which led to a heated political row in the country. Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla had denied permission to quote from unpublished literature in the House. (ANI)
