Left parties trash govt's victory claim on WTO

Call the deal 'abject surrender', accused govt of ceding sovereign right of a country to provide food security for hungry millions

Dismissing the government’s claim of ‘victory’ at the WTO summit at Bali, the Left parties have rejected the agreement describing it as “abject surrender”. The All India Kisan Sabha, (the farmers wing of the CPM) in a detailed statement today trashed the deal as “abject surrender” on the part of India. It accused the government of ceding the sovereign right of a country to provide food security for hungry millions. The AIKS even went onto allege the Commerce Minister Anand Sharma  had“brokered a deal” with the rich nations. The CPI has accused the government of acting “unilaterally” inking a deal without consulting the Parliament which infact legislated the Food security bill.

The AIKS in its statement said, “We stand opposed to this WTO Ministerial Decision, which constrains and infringes upon our sovereign right to provide price support to farmers as well as ensure food security for the hungry millions.”

Rejecting the government’s claims, the AIKS has alleged that the deal will, “seriously compromise India’s food security and farmers’ livelihoods.” Infact it has accused the government of failing to secure permanent protection” on this count, especially towards support price for farmers.

Senior CPI leader D. Raja said, “The government has not succeeded in protesting our interests. It should have not accepted the decision on Public Stockholding for Food Security Purposes without discussion with the Parliament and the states. The government has acted unilaterally when it should have consulted the Parliament in the first place.”    

Raja went onto state, “It is the history of the WTO that the rich countries have always got together and ganged up against the developing world.          

The All India Kisan Sabha while reiterating this view, went a step ahead and outrightly accused the Commerce Minister Anand Sharma of “brokering a deal.” AIKS stated the  “USA, EU and other developed countries have brokered a deal with the Commerce Minister Anand Sharma to protect the interests of the rich nations and their agribusinesses.”

A CPM senior leader admitted that once the Politburo discusses the issue, should they find anything amiss then “we will definitely raise it in on the floor of the Parliament.”