PM Modi very big salesman, Congress failed to market product: Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury
New Delhi: The BJP came back to power as Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a "very big salesman" while the Congress failed to market its product in the Lok Sabha polls, Congress leader in the Lok Sabha Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury said Monday.
Speaking in the Lok Sabha on the Motion of Thanks to the President's Address, Chowdhury launched a scathing attack on the government and Prime Minister Modi, with the Chair ordering expunging of some of his comments, considered unparliamentary.
"Our Prime Minister is a very big salesman.We (Congress) have been unable to sell our product, that is why we lost(Lok Sabha elections)," he said.
Taking a swipe at Union minister Pratap Sarangi, who had initiated the discussion, he said Sarangi crossed limits in his praise of Modi, inviting sharp reactions from the treasury benches as they referred to "India is Indira, Indira is India" remarks made by Congress leaders when Indira Gandhi was Prime Minister.
Chowdhury said his party does not to criticise the President. "We want to lambast government for its failure on various issues," he said. Targeting the Modi government, Chowdhury said the country is reeling under drought, but the government is not worried.
He said BJP MPs did not take steps to alleviate miseries of the people as they think Modi will do everything. "They think that praising Modi is sufficient, he will help them sail through (Modi baba par lagayenge),"he said.
Chowdhury also reminded NDA members that several infrastructure projects were initiated by successive Congress governments. He said several major public sector undertakings (PSUs) were also set up under the Congress rule. Chowdhury alleged the BJP government renamed several schemes initiated by the Congress government to benefit the poor.
Hitting back at the BJP for alleging a scam in the sale of 2G spectrum, he said if there was a wrongdoing why are UP Chairperson Sonia Gandhi and Congress President Rahul Gandhi not in jail.
"Why are they still in Parliament", he quipped. He also dubbed the ruling dispensation as a "compliment- addicted government.
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Trump says EU has until July 4 to approve last year's trade deal or it will face higher tariffs
Washington (AP): President Donald Trump has said in a social media post that goods from the European Union would face higher tariff rates if the 27-member bloc fails to approve last year's trade framework by July 4.
The announcement on Thursday appeared to be a deadline extension after the president said last Friday that EU autos would face a higher 25 per cent tariff starting this week. Trump made the updated announcement after what he described as a "great call" with European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen.
Still, the US president was displeased that the European Parliament had yet to finalize the trade arrangement reached last year, which was further complicated in February by the US Supreme Court ruling that Trump lacked the legal authority to declare an economic emergency to impose the initial tariffs used to pressure the EU into talks.
"A promise was made that the EU would deliver their side of the Deal and, as per Agreement, cut their Tariffs to ZERO!" Trump posted. "I agreed to give her until our Country's 250th Birthday or, unfortunately, their Tariffs would immediately jump to much higher levels."
It was unclear from the post whether Trump was implying that the tariff rates would jump on all EU goods or the increase would only apply to autos.
His latest statement indicates he might be backing away from his earlier threat on EU autos by giving the European Parliament several more weeks to approve the agreement.
Under the original terms of the framework, the US would charge a 15 per cent tax on most goods imported from the EU.
But since the Supreme Court ruling, the administration has levied a 10 per cent tariff while investigating trade imbalances and national security issues, aiming to put in new tariffs to make up for lost revenues.
