DMK MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi has demanded clarity from the government on the India-US trade deal and its protections for farmers. Union Minister JP Nadda assured a statement will be made in Parliament amid protests from the Opposition.
Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) MP Kanimozhi Karunanidhi on Tuesday said that there has been no clarity from the government on the India-US trade agreement, demanding to know if the farmers are protected within the agreement or not, after the US Secretary of Agriculture, Brooke Rollins, claimed that India has agreed to unprecedented access to its agricultural market for exportation in the US.
Speaking to ANI, she said that the situation is very confusing as the government has not issued any statement on the bilateral agreement with the United States. "There's no clarity, everything is being announced by the President of the United States, and we don't know, actually, what is in it. We would like to know if the farmers of this county have been protected and what this deal is about. The parliament is in session, but there have been no statements to the House by the government. This is very confusing. This has no precedence in the way parliament is being treated," she said.
Government to Issue Statement Amid Opposition Uproar
Meanwhile, Union Minister JP Nadda assured that the central government will issue a suo motu statement, sharing the details of the deal and is also ready to hold a discussion in the house, amid sloganeering from the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha over the India-US deal. "Late last night, the US President tweeted on tariffs and referred to PM Modi as a true friend. After this, the PM tweeted, thanking the US President and on trade. The government will issue a suo motu statement on this trade deal and also hold a discussion on it," JP Nadda said in Rajya Sabha.
He further lashed out at Congress over their objection to the trade deal, terming their sloganeering in the house as "irresponsible behaviour" which he believed is "threatening for democracy." "When the government is ready to give a detailed statement, this attitude of Congress and the INDI alliance is wrong. Their way is threatening to democracy. This is Congress's irresponsible behaviour. It is their frustration which is speaking," he said.
This comes after India and the US reached a trade agreement that reduced tariffs on Indian exports to 18 per cent from 25 per cent. (ANI)
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