New Delhi, Feb 10 (IANS) Responding to criticism over the proposed India-US trade agreement, Union Minister for Food, Public Distribution and Consumer Affairs, New and Renewable Energy, Pralhad Joshi, on Tuesday, criticised Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah, saying that he should first introspect about emptying the state treasury before making such remarks.
Joshi alleged that the Congress-led government has not only depleted Karnataka’s once financially strong treasury but has also stalled overall development and eroded investor confidence.
“The Chief Minister must answer why this has happened,” he said.
Joshi further stated that the Congress party should first lecture itself on “India’s national interest.”
Recalling the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks in 2008, he said that even as Mumbai was burning, the Congress remained silent.
He reminded Siddaramaiah that due to external diplomatic pressure and the inaction of senior Congress leaders, including a former Union Home Minister, India failed to take decisive action at the time.
He also alleged that in 2020 and previous years, when Indian soldiers were confronting aggression by the People’s Liberation Army (PLA), senior Congress leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, held confidential meetings with Chinese officials and ensured that nothing was made public.
He claimed that policies were paralysed during the Congress regime.
Joshi accused the Congress of weakening and humiliating India’s policies during its tenure, damaging the country’s global credibility and strategic position, and undermining India’s stature for short-term political gains.
“Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, India is negotiating globally with firmness, confidence, and clarity,” Joshi asserted, urging the Congress to understand this reality and stop making baseless statements.
He further slammed Congress MPs for carrying objectionable posters against Prime Minister Narendra Modi within the Parliament premises, calling it a provocative political act.
Joshi expressed serious concern over the incident that occurred in Parliament before Prime Minister Narendra Modi arrived in the Lok Sabha to reply to the debate on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address, describing it as deeply shocking.
He alleged that Opposition MPs crossed all limits amid the commotion, even reaching the Prime Minister’s seat. “This was neither a debate nor a protest. It was purely a deliberate provocation,” Joshi charged.
“As Members of Parliament, safeguarding the dignity of the House is our foremost duty. However, the conduct of Congress MPs is extremely condemnable,” he said.
Carrying objectionable posters against the Honourable Prime Minister inside the Parliament complex shows how far Rahul Gandhi and the Congress party have stooped, Joshi remarked.
Earlier, CM Siddaramaiah had stated, “By accepting and welcoming the interim trade agreement between India and the United States, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has completely surrendered to the US. In the coming days, this agreement is certain to become a death warrant for 140 crore Indians, especially for the country’s 72 crore farmers.”
–IANS
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