Jaitley asks MPs to take govt's stand on WTO to public

Asks them to assure farmers that the govt will not compromise with their interests

BJP today told its MPs to communicate to the public the stand its government has taken to protect the interests of farmers at the WTO and assure them that it would not compromise with their interests at any cost.

Giving details about the talks at WTO and the stand taken by India there, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley asked party MPs at the BJP Parliamentary Party meeting to take the message of the government to the public.

India has made it clear at the WTO General Council meeting in Geneva recently that it would not ratify the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) until a permanent solution is found on food security issues.

The MPs were also told about the decision taken by the government on the Civil Services Aptitude Test (CSAT).

"The MPs were told about India's stand taken at WTO and that the NDA government would never compromise on farmers' interests at any cost," BJP Vice President Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said after the meeting.

He said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Venkaiah Naidu also told the MPs that the decision on CSAT was the "best and quick" solution taken by the government so as not to disrupt the UPSC examination process.

The BJP Parliamentary Party also unanimously congratulated Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his successful Nepal visit and in cementing the ties between the two neighbouring countries.

The party meeting was attended by all party MPs and Union Ministers Arun Jaitley, Venkaiah Naidu and Rajnath Singh.