Interim trade agreement with U.S. one-sided; government sold ‘Bharat Mata’: Rahul in Lok Sabha

NEW DELHI, Feb 11: Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that the government has “sold Bharat Mata” through the India-U.S. interim trade deal and that it was a “wholesale surrender” with India’s energy security handed over to America and farmers’ interests compromised.

Participating in the debate on the Union Budget, he said that had an INDIA Bloc government negotiated the trade agreement with the U.S., it would have told U.S. President Donald Trump that he should treat India as an equal.

“You have sold India. Are you not ashamed of selling India? You have sold our mother, ‘Bharat Mata,’” he said while referring to the trade agreement.

The LoP said energy security has gone under the India-U.S. trade deal, and the U.S. will decide “whom we buy oil from”.

Gandhi said the interests of the farmers have been compromised, and the farmers are facing a “storm” as agricultural products from the U.S. will flood Indian markets.

He also alleged that the Indian textile industry is “finished”.

The Congress leader said Prime Minister Narendra Modi and NSA Ajit Doval had stated that the era of war is over. “But the fact is, we are moving into the era of war.”

“Moving into a dangerous world, we have to understand our strengths, and the central strength of our country is our people,” he pointed out.

He underlined the need to protect country’s people, data, food supply and energy system.

Supreme Court orders extension of time for objections in West Bengal SIR by a week from Feb. 14

NEW DELHI, Feb 9: A Supreme Court Bench comprising Chief Justice Surya Kant and Justices Joymalya Bagchi and N.V. Anjaria on Monday, ordered an extension of the time for objections by a week from February 14 in the West Bengal SIR case.

The Bench also ordered the 8,505 officials from the State government to report to duty before the district electoral offices by 5 p.m. on February 10. The Election Commission has to utilise their services as EROs/AEROs if found suitable, the SC said.

In addition, the apex court also asked West Bengal to respond to allegations of violence committed against EC officials.

In the previous hearing, on February 4, the top court issued notices and sought replies by February 9 from the Election Commission and the chief electoral officer of West Bengal on the petition filed by Ms. Banerjee. Ms. Banerjee became the first serving Chief Minister to argue in the top court. She had urged the court to intervene in the ongoing SIR of electoral rolls to “save democracy”, alleging that West Bengal was being targeted and its people were being bulldozed.

EROs should consider all or any of the documents listed in the SIR notice plus documents mentioned in the SC order (admit card, Aadhaar, etc) during verification in the claim/objections phase, the Supreme Court order adds.