Farmers’ interests sacrificed under US pressure, alleges the Congress chief
NEW DELHI – The Narendra Modi government is out to suppress the voices of Opposition leaders, Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge has said. He alleged that Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) members did not allow Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, to speak for the past four days despite repeated requests.
Talking to reporters outside Parliament House on Thursday after Opposition MPs staged a walkout during Prime Minister Modi’s reply to the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address in the Rajya Sabha, Kharge said the ruling party was deliberately preventing Opposition leaders from speaking in both Houses of Parliament. He alleged that neither the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha nor in the Rajya Sabha was being allowed to present the Opposition’s views.
Kharge said Opposition parties wanted to raise issues related to democracy, social justice, youth employment and recent statements made by US President Donald Trump.
Kharge added that all Opposition parties had decided they would listen to the prime minister’s reply if the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha was allowed to speak, but the ruling party blocked this, forcing the Opposition to walk out.
The Congress chief also launched a sharp attack on the Modi government over the India-US trade agreement, alleging that the prime minister had bowed to pressure from President Trump and sacrificed the interests of Indian farmers.
He claimed that opening Indian markets to American agricultural products would damage the country’s agricultural sector and marginalise farmers.
Kharge questioned why details of the agreement were shared outside Parliament instead of being placed before it, alleging that the prime minister was acting at Trump’s behest. He further strongly objected to the language used by ruling party members against former prime ministers in Parliament.
Kharge said abusive remarks were being made against leaders who had sacrificed for the nation and played a key role in India’s independence, while the ruling party remained silent.
Referring to Pandit Jawaharlal Nehru and Indira Gandhi, Kharge said Nehru laid the foundation of modern India and Indira Gandhi ushered in a new awakening in the country, warning that insults to such leaders would not be tolerated. He said the Opposition condemned both the alleged denial of speaking opportunities and the insults to former leaders, which led to the walkout from the House.
