New Delhi: Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi, on Wednesday, targeted the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the India-US trade deal, alleging that the PM had “fully surrendered” to the United States.
Gandhi said it was “tragic” that the future of 1.4 billion people had been “surrendered to protect the BJP’s financial architecture on which there is a case in the US”. “The interesting thing is that I know that PM won’t sell India under normal circumstances. He has sold India because they are choking him. I said when you choke, you see fear in the eyes. You can see it in PM’s eyes,” said Gandhi, in the House.
“The point is that I don’t believe that an Indian PM, including Mr Modi, would sign the (US-India) deal unless there was a chokehold on him,” alleged Gandhi.
The Congress leader claimed that India had “buckled on tariffs, handed over our data, given up control over digital trade rules”. “(There is) no data localisation, (there is) free data flow to the US, no source code disclosure, and a 20-year tax holiday. The most valuable asset of ours has been handed over,” he added.
“Our farmers have been left to the mercy of mechanised, massive US farms. Our textile wiped out. Bangladesh will wipe out our industry. Our energy security handed over. We can’t buy oil… I don’t think any Indian PM would do this. There is no logic. What has happened is full surrender,” said Gandhi.
Gandhi also said that, when negotiating with US President Donald Trump, the most important factor is Indian data. “You (Trump) want to protect the dollar; we are your friends. And we appreciate you and will help you protect the dollar. The biggest asset for that is the Indian people. Second thing we would say is President Trump, if you want access to this data, you have to talk to us like equals, and not your servants,” he said.
“Second thing we would say, Mr Trump, please understand. Our energy security is our energy security. Third is we understand your voter base is farmers. But we will also protect our farmers. But the main thing I am saying is that the INDIA bloc government will go and say data is our biggest strength. We will go there as equals. And we will not be made equal to Pakistan,” said Gandhi.
