India Calls Out Canada's Hypocrisy Of Supporting Farmer Protests And Also Staunchly Opposing MSP At WTO

India has called out Canada’s hypocrisy in supporting the ongoing farmers’ protest despite staunchly criticising New Delhi’s practice of Minimum Support Price (MSP) and other agricultural policies at the World Trade Organisation (WTO), Times of India reports.

“The recent comments by Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau regarding the on-going farmers’ protests in India are not just unwarranted and ill-informed but also at odds with Canada’s aggressive posture at the WTO towards India’s agricultural support to its farmers,” a source was quoted by TOI as saying.

India has even accused Canada of using the current outcry amongst agriculturists belonging to Punjab for their own political convenience.

The Cairns group in the WTO that comprises of Canada, the United States of America (USA) and European Union (EU) has condemned large developing nations like China, India and Indonesia for the worldwide growth in trade-distorting domestic support in agriculture.

The source indicated that the recently passed legislation in fact look to solve the issues raised by Canada and other countries about India’s agricultural policies.

“In view of this, it is surprising to note that Canada is making unwarranted statements supporting domestic protests in India against these farm Acts. The duplicity in the stand taken by Canada at the World Trade Organisation, and the position voiced by its leaders recently is a clear indication that this issue is being used for reasons of political expediency by Canada,” the source was quoted by TOI.

In fact, it is reported that Canada is looking to curtail India’s policy space to assist its domestic farmers but instead increase their own exports to the Narendra Modi-administered country.