The BJP on Tuesday told its MPs to communicate to the people the Government’s stand at the WTO as a “pro-farmer” initiative.
India’s refusal to compromise on its demand for a permanent solution to the issue of food stocks and subsidies has blocked a trade facilitation agreement at the WTO.
Though developed countries, especially the US and the EU, have attacked India, the new Government has refused to budge till a permanent solution is found to the issue of food stocking and subsidy caps.
India wants to protect its subsidy programme from any retaliatory action if the WTO cap on stockpiling is breached.
From the proceedings in the BJP’s parliamentary party meeting, it was apparent that the ruling dispensation is keen to convey the political message in the Government’s stand at the WTO.
Political ramifications For this purpose, both Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and his deputy and Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman explained the political ramifications of India’s WTO stand to party MPs.
Senior leader LK Advani, Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Parliamentary Party Affairs Minister M Venkaiah Naidu and External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj too were present at the meeting of the parliamentary party which also passed a resolution congratulating Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his Nepal trip.
“During his Nepal visit, the Prime Minister spoke in a new language of diplomacy and has matched the high expectations of Nepal and has inaugurated a fresh start in bilateral relations. This trip is historical break from an unforgettable past,” the resolution said.
But the focus of the meeting was clearly on placing emphasis on how the Government has withstood international pressure to protect Indian farmers’ interest.
Elaborate presentation Making an elaborate presentation on the issue, Sitharaman explained how the WTO resolution at the Bali Summit in 2013 was not a perfect agreement, as the core principles taking into account every member country’s interests have not been incorporated in it.
She informed the BJP MPs that while there is pressure from some quarters, several countries have appreciated the stand taken by India as well.
The Finance Minister, on his part, reiterated that the Government is committed to protect the interests of the Indian farming community and the people who live below the poverty line.
“The Government prefers to go ahead with the Trade Facilitation principle only after categorical assurance on public stock holding of food grains, procurement of food grains and public distribution system,” Jaitley told the MPs.
“Our Government is determined to resist and block all the anti-Indian farmer moves by the WTO and other agencies,” he added.
Subsidies issue “The USA and European countries are providing $400 billion worth of subsidies every year to their farmers while they insist that we remove the Minimum Support Price for our agricultural products.
“That is unacceptable to us. We have to support our farmers,” he said.
Naidu informed the party MPs about the developments with regard to the civil services aptitude test conducted by the UPSC.