Congress to oppose FDI in defence in Parliament

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma yesterday denounced the Modi government's decision to allow 100% FDI in defence sector by easing norms, saying the Prime Minister was working under pressure from the US and his party would oppose it in Parliament.

"The Congress government had allowed FDI in defence with a pre-condition that it would be for state-of-the-art-technology but the present government has eased the conditions. The Prime Minister is working under pressure from the United States.

This is not in the country's interest and Congress would oppose it in Parliament," he told media persons here.

"The Reserve Bank of India would issue a notification under FEMA on easing FDI norms which would be ratified by Parliament and Congress would oppose it at that stage," he said.

Sharma questioned, "on what basis BJP was celebrating its two years in office when over the last two years, FDI saw a decline, exports went down; industrial production fell, and the government miserably failed to generate employment".

He accused the Modi government of unleashing a "political vendetta" against Congress, trying to destabilise Congress' governments in Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand and toppling the party-led government in Arunachal Pradesh in a bid to accomplish its agenda of a 'Congress-free India'".

"The NDA government is totally insensitive towards the agriculture sector. Farmers are committing suicides, but instead of visiting the affected villages, the Modi government is busy celebrating its achievements, which are nowhere visible on the ground," he said.

"The NDA government is totally insensitive towards the agriculture sector. Farmers are committing suicides, but instead of visiting the affected villages, the Modi government is busy celebrating its achievements, which are nowhere visible on the ground"

Asked about his party's stand on GST, Sharma said: "Such issues should be resolved with the consent of all sides and not by vote."

Replying to another query, he said he was not in the run for the post of the Chief Minister of Himachal Pradesh.