The Congress has alleged that Commerce Minister Nirmala Sitharaman’s statement on Thursday that India had reached an agreement with the US on the impasse in WTO is a deliberate attempt to mislead people.
The party said the issue of public stockholding for food security was actually forced by India at the Bali ministerial meeting and the same was secured and protected.
Former Commerce Minister and Congress spokesperson Anand Sharma said the Government is guilty of concealing the truth. “Its claim of a victory is hollow and surprising,” Sharma said in a statement. He further said the BJP is trying to create an impression that it was India’s principled position to protect its right to food security which forced the nation to take a tough stance. “This is nothing but one-upmanship and a claim which is orchestrated for political gains and misleading,” he said.
Sharma said Sitharaman’s statement saying the agreement reached at the Bali ministerial meeting was a temporary peace clause is incorrect and political dishonesty.
“The fact is that it was India’s strong and uncompromising stance that forced the issue of procurement of food grains for public stock holding and livelihood countries on the Bali WTO agenda despite stiff opposition from the US, EU and other developed countries,” he said.
He added that India also secured for itself and other developing countries protection from any challenge at the WTO for any breach until a negotiated permanent solution is put in place.
Sharma said the Government engaged in needless posturing by stalling the trade facilitation agreement and embarrassed and left the country globally isolated.