Opposition Parties Stage Walkout in Rajya Sabha Over India-US Trade Deal
In a dramatic turn of events in Parliament on Tuesday, members of several Opposition parties walked out from the Rajya Sabha while demanding an immediate discussion on the newly announced India-US trade deal. The walkout occurred even as Union Health Minister J P Nadda announced that the government was prepared to make a suo motu statement on the details of the agreement and was ready to hold a comprehensive discussion.
Nadda's Response to Opposition Protest
Amidst continuous sloganeering from Opposition benches over the trade agreement, J P Nadda addressed the House, stating, "Late last night, the US President (Donald Trump) tweeted on tariffs and referred to PM (Narendra) Modi as a true friend. After this, the PM tweeted, thanking the US President and on trade. The government will issue a suo motu statement on this trade deal and also hold a discussion on it."
Lashing out specifically at the Congress party, Nadda termed their conduct in the House as "irresponsible behaviour" and suggested that their "frustration" was manifesting through their actions. He elaborated, "When the government is ready to give a detailed statement, this attitude of Congress and the INDI alliance is wrong. Their way is threatening to democracy. This is Congress's irresponsible behaviour. It is their frustration which is speaking."
Background of the Trade Deal Announcement
The first indications of the trade agreement emerged late on Monday night when US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor posted on Truth Social, "President Trump just spoke with Prime Minister Modi. STAY TUNED..." This was followed by President Trump's own announcement on the same platform, where he stated, "we agreed to a Trade Deal" and mentioned that India had agreed to stop buying Russian oil while increasing purchases from the United States and potentially Venezuela.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi responded on social media platform X, expressing delight that "Made in India products will now have a reduced tariff of 18%." This represents a significant reduction from the previous punitive tariffs of 50%.
Parliamentary Proceedings and Opposition Demands
In the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday, soon after the Zero Hour concluded, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh raised the issue of the Indo-US trade deal, expressing concern that information about the agreement was being received from Washington rather than through official government channels in India.
As Opposition members continued their protest in the House, Nadda clarified that the US President had informed about the tariff reduction on Indian goods through social media and had also spoken directly with PM Modi. Chairman C P Radhakrishnan questioned why Opposition members were creating an uproar when the government had explicitly stated its willingness to issue a statement and engage in discussion.
Nadda further criticized the Opposition, stating, "It is your frustration which is speaking. We are ready... Their interest is only in creating politics out of everything, and we saw an example of that just now... They are trying to create an atmosphere in the country as if the government is avoiding a discussion."
Opposition Concerns and Protests
Several Opposition MPs from the Rajya Sabha, including prominent figures such as Congress's Jairam Ramesh, Digvijaya Singh, and Randeep Surjewala, along with AAP's Sanjay Singh and RJD's Manoj Jha, protested on the Parliament premises. They alleged that the government had compromised the interests of Indian farmers through the trade agreement.
The Congress party has demanded complete transparency regarding the trade deal, raising specific questions about:
- Claims regarding the opening up of India's agriculture sector
- The possibility of further tariff reductions to zero percent
- The implications of pausing purchases of Russian oil as mentioned by President Trump
On Tuesday, the Congress intensified its demands, calling on the Modi government to take Parliament into confidence regarding both the EU and US trade deals. The party alleged that the government had "completely surrendered its interests to Washington." In a social media post, the Congress stated, "Just like the ceasefire, the announcement of the trade deal was also made by US President Trump. It has been stated that the trade deal is being done 'on Modi's request'."
The parliamentary confrontation highlights the ongoing tensions between the government and Opposition regarding transparency in international agreements and the proper parliamentary procedures for discussing significant diplomatic and economic matters affecting India's interests.
