New Delhi, February 14 Rajya Sabha MP Kapil Sibal criticized the government on Saturday over the India-US interim trade deal, saying that despite its claims to make the country "self-reliant," it appears to have become "dependent on Trump."
Sibal also accused the government of agreeing to align India's foreign and economic policy with America, saying that such a thing had never happened in India's history.
The former Union minister also criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he inaugurated the new PMO, named Seva Teerth, and two buildings of the central secretariat – Kartavya Bhawan 1 and 2 – asking whether he had fulfilled his "duty" towards the country.
"I was very happy to read the reports today; the PM has inaugurated Seva Teerth and Kartavya Bhawan. Earlier, there was the naming of Kartavya Path. But in the last 11 years, I want to ask the PM, what kind of duty he has fulfilled," Sibal said at a press conference.
"It is good to build buildings and we hear 'Satyameva Jayate,' but 'lies' have been winning in the last 11 years," he said.
"We have been hearing about 'self-reliance,' but now it seems it has become 'dependent on Trump'," Sibal added.
Sibal criticized the BJP, saying that they know how to win elections but do not know how to rule. Citing US executive orders 14066 and 14329, Sibal said that the US has made it clear that if India buys Russian oil directly or indirectly, the 25 per cent tariff will be reimposed.
Trump has said that he has "determined that India has taken significant steps to address the national (American) emergency described in executive order 14066" and to align sufficiently with the US on national security, foreign policy, and economic matters, Sibal claimed.
"I want to ask this government why they agreed to this," the Independent Rajya Sabha MP said.
"What duty is the PM talking about, whose service he wants to provide? This has never happened in history that our PM and our government has agreed that our foreign policy will be aligned with another country," Sibal said.
He also criticized the government for agreeing to buy US goods and services worth USD 500 billion in the next five years.
Sibal also urged the prime minister to speak out about the deal in Parliament. "He (Modi) should fulfill his duty," he added.
