BJP was set to sign RCEP, our 'forceful opposition' ensured that govt backs out:Congress
New Delhi, Nov 4: The Congress on Monday said that it was because of their 'forceful opposition' that the Prime Minister Modi-led BJP government at the Centre decided not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP). Congress chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala said it is a win for all those protecting national interests. Congress claimed victory saying that the BJP 'was all set to sign the RCEP agreement'.
It was Congress' opposition that ensured that the BJP government backs out from bartering the interests of farmers, dairy producers, fishermen and small and medium businessmen, Surjewala said.
Randeep Surjewala
"As BJP and Sh. Amit Shah indulge in fake credit seeking today, let them remember that Congress' forceful opposition made them back down," he claimed.
He alleged that the BJP government "had gone overboard" in its zeal to sign RCEP.
Priyanka Gandhi Vadra
Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra said the BJP government was all set to sign the RCEP agreement with pomp and show but had to stall its decision after farmers unitedly opposed it and did not allow their hard work and national interests to be bartered to foreign companies and countries.
[India's decision not to join RCEP taken in national interest]
"The BJP government after crushing farmers' interests, was going to hand over the national interests of India to foreign countries by signing the RCEP agreement (anti-farmer agreement) with pomp and show. But, the farmers of the country opposed it with complete unity," she said in a tweet in Hindi.
"They gave a clear message that their hard work will not be allowed to be handed over for the benefit of foreign companies. The BJP government was today forced to stall its decision on RCEP agreement. I congratulate all farmer brothers and sisters. I thank the Congress party workers who supported the farmers extensively on this issue," she also said on Twitter.
"A forceful opposition by Congress & Rahul Gandhi ensured that BJP govt backs down"
Surjewala said with "rampant unemployment, a sinking economy and deep agrarian crisis emanating from utter mismanagement of economy by BJP Government", signing RCEP would have been catastrophic.
"A forceful opposition by Congress and Rahul Gandhi ensures that BJP government backs down from bartering the interests of farmers, dairy producers, fishermen, small and medium businesses at the altar of political expediency (sic)," he said on Twitter.
"By
backing
down
at
the
behest
of
the
Congress
party
and
farmers
groups,
our
government
has
been
forced
to
take
a
correct
decision,"
Surjewala
said.
The
Modi
Government
was
pushing
to
sign
RCEP
agreement
without
addressing
genuine
concerns
and
national
interests,
he
alleged,
adding
that
no
care
was
taken
about
farmers
and
MSMEs
objections
or
national
security
interests.
"India's
farmers
and
MSME's
had
genuine
unaddressed
concerns
about
--
Circumvention
of
Rules
of
Origin to dump Chinese goods; Absence of safeguards to prevent against import surges at the cost of domestic industry; No assurance on market access for service and IT industry," he also said.
PM Modi in a group photo with other world leaders at the 3rd RCEP Summit in Bangkok
India on Monday decided not to join the mega Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) deal as negotiations failed to address New Delhi's concerns, government sources said. They said India's stand at RCEP is a strong reflection of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's strong leadership and India's rising stature in the world.
India's decision will greatly help Indian farmers, MSMEs and dairy sector, the sources said. The External Affairs Ministry said India decided not to join RCEP because of unresolved issues and believes that under current circumstances, it would not be proper to join the RCEP. The decision was taken considering national interests, the Ministry said.