'Reject WTO call for concessions on agriculture'

New Delhi, Jan 21: Left parties today asked Manmohan Singh government to outrightly reject the WTO suggestion for offering concessions on agriculture and asserted that there is no question of India 're-examining' its stand.

The CPI(M), CPI and Forward Bloc also made it clear that they would oppose the government's move on 'reforms' in the financial sector, and its adamance to bring a Bill on the Insurance sector in the Budget session of Paliament.

While WTO Director General Pascal Lamy during his visit to New Delhi asked India to offer concessions on the sensitive issue of agriculture for successful conclusion of Doha Round of multilateral trade negociations, the Finance Minister has asserted on more than one occasion that the Government would bring a Bill in the Budget session of Parliament to hike FDI cap from 26 per cent to 49 per cent in the insurance sector.

Talking to sources, CPI General Secretary A B Bardhan said the fact remained that the WTO arrangement has actually proved harmful for the peasantry and the working classes in the developing nations, while it helped the G-8 countries only.

"The UPA govenment should display its resolve to outrightly reject Mr Lamy's suggestion asking for concessions on agriculture and that India should re- examine its stand," Mr Bardhan, the veteran Communist and freedom fighter, said.

CPI senior leader S Sudhakar Reddy said if India agreed to the WTO conditionalities, India's small and medium peasantry would further be ruined.

CPI(M) leaders M K Pandhe and Nilotpal Basu asked" where is the question for India to re-examine the issue of offering concessions as agriculture is not a trade as is the case with the European Countries and the US.It is a source of livelihood for over country's 70 per cent population." Referring to the Uruguay Round of talks, the CPI(M) leaders recalled that every one knew that it was a" bad deal" for the developing countries, but appreciated the Indian government's stand in the last Doha round of talks wherein it stuck to its guns.

"We hope that our government will not succumb to any pressure in this regard," Mr Basu and Mr Pandhe said adding that otherwise," our agriculture will be further ruined." They also impressed upon the UPA government to take immediate measures to settle the issue to protect the interests of farmers and the nation as a whole.

The Manmohan Singh government should not accept the "dictates" of the advanced capitalist countries." If we accept the conditionalities, it will have serious repercussions on Indian agriculture." Instead India should mobilise the support of other developing countries to put up a" united fight" against the designs of the developed countries who want to export their seeds, agricultural produce only to destroy Indian agriculture market.

"We have experienced how the BT Cotton and the Monsanto Compnay played havoc with our crops," they added.

Forward Bloc National Secretary G Devrajan said this is the part of the WTO concerted efforts to withdraw all subsidies which are enjoyed by farmers of our country." And on the contrary, the EU and the US are providing more than 300 per cent subsidy on agriculture." The Commerce Minsitry should take urgent steps to counter the move of the WTO, which is scheduled to meet in March or April this year.

On the Insurance Bill, the Left leaders said "when the Bill comes in Parliament, the Left parties will vote against the same and not let it pass." CPI(M) Polit bureau and Rajya Sabha member Ms Brinda Karat stressed that," there is no question of the Left parties supporting this Bill. We know the government needs our support for its passage, but we will vote against the same. We will oppose it tooth and nail both in and outside Parliament." "Besides, we have submitted a detailed note at the UPA-Left Coordination Meet expressing our concerns and opposition to the move," she said.

"We will not allow the government push forward the Bill and ignore our concerns and opposition," the Left leaders added.

UNI

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