New Delhi, February 4: Congress MP Manish Tewari submitted a motion in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, demanding a discussion on the India-US trade agreement. He has addressed a letter to Lok Sabha Secretary Snehalata Srivastava regarding this matter.
Tewari seeks permission to discuss the motion to suspend the House’s proceedings. He emphasized that this proposal pertains to a critical public issue that requires immediate parliamentary attention.
In his letter, Tewari stated, “I propose that this House suspend question hour, zero hour, and all other scheduled proceedings to deliberate on a significant public matter, namely the alleged statement issued by the President of the United States, claiming that the Prime Minister of India has agreed.”
He noted that India has consented to halt the purchase of Russian oil, significantly increase oil imports from the United States and Venezuela, eliminate Indian tariff and non-tariff barriers, and commit to purchasing over $500 billion worth of American goods.
Tewari remarked, “Russian crude oil has helped reduce fuel inflation, and any sudden changes could burden citizens and industries. Major trade agreements can also impact domestic manufacturing, farmers, and small and medium enterprises.”
He urged the government to “immediately issue a statement and allow for comprehensive discussion” to prevent decisions made without transparency in trade, energy, and foreign policy from being presented to the nation.
Meanwhile, under the trade agreement, US tariffs on Indian goods have been reduced to 18%, while India has agreed to lower some trade barriers on American products. Opposition parties have criticized this trade agreement, claiming it benefits the US excessively rather than serving India’s interests.
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