Irked Over PM's Remarks on WTO, Congress to Raise Issue in Parliament Tomorrow

New Delhi: Irked by Prime Minister Narendra Modi's remark suggesting that the UPA government compromised on the issue of food security at the World Trade Organisation or WTO, Congress today said it would raise the matter in Parliament tomorrow as the statement was "incorrect".

"The statement of Mr Modi, his claim of standing up for food security in the interest of farmers by taking up a stand in opposition to the one taken by the UPA government is misleading and given with the objective to confuse the people," former Commerce Minister Anand Sharma said.

Noting that the PM's remark -- that India had disregarded the interest of farmers and the right to food security at the WTO meet in Bali -- was "astonishing, factually incorrect and false", he said it contradicted the statement made by the Minister of State for Commerce and Industry on August 5 and 6 in Parliament.

"Which of the two is true?" Mr Sharma asked, adding, "Whether what Modi is saying is correct or what the MoS is saying is correct. The Congress will raise the issue on Monday."

The former Union Minister was reacting to the remarks made by Mr Modi at the BJP national council meeting yesterday that "those who sought votes in the name of food security, signed the agreement (sacrificing the interest of poor people)".

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Mr Modi had also said that the government "chose" to take a tough stand in the recent WTO talks as it has to protect the interest of the poor people of the country rather look for good publicity in the international media.

Mr Sharma had signed the accord at Bali last year which, among other things, had agreed for signing the TFA by July 31, 2014.

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He further said, "It is embarrassing that the Prime Minister is confusing the right of public stock holding issue with the sovereign right of food security. Food security is a sovereign right and a sovereign space and has never been part of a WTO agenda."