Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh called out the Modi government of evading parliamentary scrutiny on two major issues: revelations made by former Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane in his book and television interviews, and what he termed a unilateral and anti-national trade deal with the United States.
The AAP MP pointed out the BJP’s repeated disruptions of Parliament amounted to an admission that it did not want the contents of Manoj Mukund Naravane’s book to be discussed publicly, suggesting there was “something extremely dangerous” the government was trying to keep from the country.
On Tuesday, senior AAP leader and Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Singh said, “No matter how much Prime Minister Narendra Modi tries to cover up what General Manoj Mukund Naravane has said in his book and interviews, the truth has now come before the people of the country.”
Sanjay Singh said that the way the BJP chose to flee from discussion in the House proves that the government is afraid of facing the truth. “Today, on one side there is the issue of the Epstein files, and on the other side there is General Naravane’s book. These are both major questions from which the BJP is running away,” he said.
Attacking the trade deal, Sanjay Singh said that the Modi government has mortgaged the interests of crores of farmers of the country before the United States. “This agreement is not in India’s interest, but has been done solely to benefit the US,” he added.
He said that under this deal, the US will impose an 18 percent tax on Indian products, while India will charge zero percent tax on American products. “What bigger injustice could there be to the country’s trade and farmers?,” he questioned.
The AAP MP said that what is even more dangerous is that the Modi government has opened India’s agricultural market for American farmers, something no Prime Minister has done so far. “Farmers in the US receive subsidies of up to around ₹80 lakh, so how will Indian farmers compete with them?,” he strongly asked.
Warning the government, he said that if Indian markets are opened in this manner to American agricultural products, the country’s farmers will be completely destroyed. “This is not a trade deal, but a direct death warrant for farmers,” Sanjay Singh asserted.
He said that in this deal, along with some selected items, words like “and other products” have been added, which clearly means that in the coming time the Modi government will open everything for the United States. Sanjay Singh said that this poses a serious threat to both India’s economic security and food security.
Questioning the attitude of the United States, Sanjay Singh said that America is treating the world’s largest democracy, India, the same way it treats countries like Venezuela, Ghana, and Uganda. “US President Donald Trump openly states that he will keep India under surveillance, and if India buys oil from Russia, a 25 percent tax will be imposed again. This directly means that the US is not allowing India to buy cheap oil for its people,” he stated.
The AAP senior leader said that by purchasing oil from Russia, India has so far saved approximately ₹1,53,000 crore, but after this deal, India will have to give up this saving and impose an equal burden on its people. “This is a direct attack on India’s sovereignty. The US has reduced tariffs on Bangladeshi textile products to zero percent, while imposing an 18 percent tax on India, which is an open insult to the country,” he highlighted.
Referring to the uproar in the House during the President’s address, he asked why discussion is not being allowed on issues related to farmers, trade, and the country’s sovereignty.
Sanjay Singh concluded by stating, “When instead of answering the opposition’s questions, the Prime Minister runs away from the House and the Speaker’s conduct remains biased, it is fatal for democracy. For this reason, the Aam Aadmi Party supports the opposition’s no-confidence motion
