'India should impose higher tariffs on US imports': Arvind Kejriwal slams suspension of 11% duty on cotton

Kejriwal said PM Modi has 'taken some decisions behind our backs', which are a 'huge betrayal' of the farmers of the country.

New Delhi: Finding fault with the Modi government's decision to suspend 11 per cent duty on import of raw cotton claiming that it is aimed at helping the Americans, AAP chief Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday demanded that India impose higher tariffs on US imports, saying the entire country will support such a move.

Claiming that other countries "did not bow down" and imposed higher tariffs, Kejriwal said that people are referring to cases faced by Gautam Adani for India not hitting back at the US, as he is close to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

"If (US President Donald) Trump is imposing tariffs, what should we do?...We should also impose higher tariffs. If the US is imposing 50 per cent tariffs, we should double the tariffs to 100 per cent. The whole country will support this decision. India is a big market and no country can afford to offend India. We are a nation of 140 crore people. The issue is of national pride," he told a press conference.

When the US imposed tariffs, he said countries like China, Mexico, Columbia, Canada and the European Union retaliated by imposing tariffs on US imports.

Referring to the government's decision to suspend duty on raw cotton imports, he said Modi has "taken some decisions behind our backs", which are a "huge betrayal" of the farmers of the country.

On Thursday, the government extended duty-free import of cotton for three more months till December 31 to support textile exporters facing steep 50 per cent tariffs in the US. On August 18, the Ministry of Finance had allowed duty exemption on cotton imports from August 19 till September 30.

"Under the pressure of Trump, it has been decided that cotton that comes to India from America will have no duty...Till now, there was an 11 per cent duty on it. Now, the cotton that will come or has started coming from America is roughly cheaper in India than the cotton of Indian farmers by an average of Rs 15-20 per kg," he said.

He demanded that the withdrawing 11 per cent duty on raw cotton be withdrawn with immediate effect.

The farmers of Telangana, Punjab, Vidarbha and Gujarat will be highly impacted by this decision, he said. "We all know that US President Donald Trump has imposed 50 per cent tariffs. We should have increased the 11 per cent duty to 50 per cent and not waived it off completely," he said.

He also announced that the AAP will hold a huge public meeting in Chotila in Gujarat on September 7 over the issue. "I urge all parties and farmers' organisations to raise this issue. The farmers in Chotila are going to be heavily impacted by this decision of the Union government," he added.