Anand Sharma’s criticism comes amid the latest round of criticism from Kapil Sibal. (Archive)
New Delhi:
The very public dissent on leadership issues within Congress, which has been in the headlines since August, has not only concerned electoral performance. His policies have also been questioned by senior leaders.
Today, Anand Sharma tweeted that the decision to stay away from RCEP, the world’s largest free trade agreement led by China, was a “leap back.” His criticism comes amid the latest round of criticism from the party’s top leader, Kapil Sibal, who advised Congress to “acknowledge that we are in decline” and talk to “experienced people who understand the political realities of India and make people I heard”.
The Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, which includes 10 Southeast Asian economies plus China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia, was signed virtually on Sunday.
With its members making up about 30 percent of global GDP, the RCEP was seen as a major blow by China, which is trying to expand its influence in the area.
India had said last year that it would stay away from the deal, although it is free to join at any time.
Congress was the first political party to raise concerns and recommended caution regarding India’s accession to the trade bloc. The Narendra Modi government skipped concerns that the deal would go against manufacturers large and small as the country was flooded with cheap Chinese goods.
But now the leader of Congress, Anand Sharma, who was Minister of Commerce in the UPA government led by Manmohan Singh, has said that the decision was wrong and counterproductive and that India should have been careful to safeguard its interests.
“India’s decision not to join the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) is unfortunate and ill-advised. It is in India’s strategic and economic interest to be part of the Asia-Pacific integration process,” the 67-year-old tweeted. who was one of the 23 leaders who wrote the first letter of dissent in the first week of August that generated turbulence in the party.
“The withdrawal has negated years of persuasive negotiations for India to be accepted as part of RCEP,” another Sharma tweet reads. “We could have negotiated safeguards to protect our interests. Staying out of the RCEP is a setback,” he added.
With the post, Anand Sharma is seen making a political point by stepping away from the official position of Congress, which could spell further controversy for the party.
Sibal’s criticism after the Bihar poll results have been in the headlines for the past two days, as senior leaders Ashok Gehlot and Salman Khurshid refuted his claims.
Both Mr. Sibal and Mr. Sharma were among the authors of the first “letter of dissent” regarding the leadership that sparked an all-out confrontation within the party in August. Little had changed except that key writers were diverted from party posts.
The letter had suggested radical changes after Congress lost power in Madhya Pradesh after a revolt from Jyotiraditya Scindia and barely saved its Rajasthan government after a rebellion.
.
