New Delhi (India): Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad on Monday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government dealing with Economic Partnership Agreement (RCEP) is like a “compounder operating on a patient” in absence of a registered Doctor.
Mocking Centre, Azad said that both RCEP and GST were the schemes coined by the Congress and were in progress but the Modi government implemented it badly in haste.
“The Free Trade Agreement and RCEP, we were not against it, in fact, it started in our time. The doctor had given the dates to the patient for operation and meanwhile, the doctor got transferred and compounder operated on patient,” said Ghulam Nabi Azad.
“The interest of our country should have been protected. Our Milk products, agricultural products, marine products etc should all have been protected. We have a trade deficit of US Dollar 70 Billion with China. China is dumping its products in world markets after RCEP several products of China would be dumped in Indian markets. Will China allow access to our products in its markets? There is no discussion on this issue,” said Azad.
Leaders of thirteen Opposition parties met here on Monday to discuss the current economic situation.
Azad Further said that unemployment is highest in the last 50 years.
“The National Sample Survey Organisation (NSSO) data shows that unemployment is an all-time high. Unemployment is highest in the last 50 years and it is increasing every month. The unemployment in India is double that of the world average,” said Azad.
“The GDP is falling day by day. There was a time when we were at the fifth position in terms of increasing economic growth but now we are at 7 and the rate is further falling day by day,” he said.
“The number of educated unemployed youth is increasing. After demonetization unemployed youth and uneducated youth were forced to sit at their homes,” he said.
The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP), a key constituent of the United Progressive Allaince (UPA), was conspicuous by its absence at the meeting.
On absentees, Congress leader Ghulam Nabi Azad said, “You go and ask them why they didn’t come.” The prominent absentees were the NCP, the SP and the BSP.
The meeting was called by the Congress to take on the government on various issues, including economic slowdown and job losses, during the 10-day nationwide campaign, beginning on Tuesday.
The Congress has also planned a mega rally in the first week of December. Though the dates were yet to be finalised, it could take place on December 1, sources said. Congress leaders would also address the media at 35 places.
Representatives of 13 parties attended the meet and discussed common strategy against the government on the eve of Congress stir. D. Kupendra Reddy (JD-S), Sharad Yadav (LJD), T.R. Balu (DMK), Manoj Jha (RJD), Nadimul Haque(TMC), Ajit Singh (RLD), T.K. Rangarajan (CPI-M), D. Raja, Binoy Viswam (CPI), Upendra Kushwaha (RLSP), PK Kunhalikutti (IUML), Jose K. Mani (KCM) and Shatrujeet Singh (RSP) attended the meet.
The Congress had invited all non-NDA parties to formulate a strategy to corner the government on key issues.
The Congress has asked party workers to protest against the central government policies at all levels, starting with blocks.
The parties that attended the meet were in sync with the Congress strategy to corner the government outside and inside Parliament on key economic issue, Azad said.
RJD leader Manoj Jha said the economy was in shambles and all the opposition parties should come together to raise the issue. Ajit Singh said the economy was a serious issue and efforts should be made to connect people to throw out the government.