Patna, Feb 19 (PTI) Senior Congress leader Deepender Singh Hooda on Thursday criticised the Narendra Modi government over the trade deal with the US, alleging that it would make the country “dependent on America instead of self-reliant”.
The Haryana MP made the remarks at a press conference in Patna, where he also charged the BJP government with appearing “weak, instead of firm”.
“The trade deal has made the people wonder whether we would achieve an America Nirbhar Bharat instead of Atma Nirbhar Bharat. We seem to have a majboor sarkaar instead of mazboot sarkaar,” alleged Hooda.
The Congress leader claimed that the deal “compromised the interests of our farmers, imperilled the country’s energy security and put India’s data privacy and digital economy at risk”.
“Already, capitulating before the Trump administration, the Modi government has started importing cotton from the US. Cotton farmers in the country have suffered a double whammy. They are not able to export their produce to Bangladesh while the prices have fallen up to Rs 1,000 quintal less than the MSP”, said Hooda.
With the waiver of import duty on fruits and nuts coming from the US, lakhs of cultivators in states like Jammu and Kashmir, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh are all set to be affected adversely, claimed the Congress leader.
“The trade deal also compels India to buy oil from the US, without any assurance that prices will be as competitive as those already on offer from Russia and Iran. The deal has also warned India of a fresh penalty if oil is imported, directly or indirectly, from Russia. The nation wants to know why the government has agreed to such terms and conditions,” said Hooda. PTI NAC NN
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