Sitharaman Schools Rahul Gandhi: Congress Sold Out India, Not Modi

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday schooled Congress MP Rahul Gandhi in the Lok Sabha after the latter claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "sold the nation". Sitharaman launched a sharp attack against Rahul and told the House who actually has sold India. Sitharaman recalled that it was the Manmohan Singh-led Congress that actually sold out India's interest in 2009 by signing the Sharm-El-Sheikh pact. Stressing that PM Modi only works for the benefit of India, Sitharaman said, "Desh ko bechne waale kaun hai? Who has sold India? I will tell you who has sold India." "In 2013, Congress went to the World Trade Organisation (WTO) in Bali and made a compromise," Sitharaman added, claiming the Congress made a deal against the favours of the farmers of India and signed the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA). Stressing that it is the Congress who had sold India and its farmers, Sitharaman added that the Congress should have the strength to listen to this. The Finance Minister further said that it was PM Narendra Modi who later stepped in and got a peace clause included in the WTO agreement. Sitharaman added that Congress also betrayed India before in 2009 by signing an agreement in Egypt's Sharm-El-Sheikh, delinking terrorism from talks with Pakistan. “Pakistan se samjhota karne waale Mahmohan Singh, ek Congress waale…Aur Congress waale aaj aake hume advice de rahe hai ki negotiation kaise karna hai? (It was Congress leader Manmohan Singh who compromised with Pakistan. And now Congress is telling us how should we negotiate?)” “Sell karne waale aap log hai...kisan ko bhi, gareeb ko bhi, iss desh ko bhi. Pakistan se jodne waale aap log hai (It is you people (Congress) who sold India and its poor and the farmers)," Sitharaman stated. As the Opposition raised their voice against Sitharaman's words, the Union Minister said, “Chilla chilla ke meri awaaz band nahi kar sakte. Pura desh sunega aaj. (You cannot silence me by shouting. Today the whole country will hear what I am saying.)" While speaking in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi had claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has "sold the nation". He was speaking in the context of the recent interim trade deal finalised between US and India.