The All India Congress Committee general secretary Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday said that the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement is a non-issue as far as Kerala is concerned.
Replying to question at a press conference here, Mr. Gandhi said he was not worried about the Left Democratic Front making it an electoral issue in the upcoming Assembly by-elections. “The Left Front is welcome to make it an election issue. As far as we are concerned, I want to make it clear that the Kerala crops will not be affected [as a result of the ASEAN Free Trade Agreement],” he said.
The Centre has the power to ensure that the farmers of Kerala do not suffer. We will not do anything that would impact the Kerala farmers. Kerala crops have been included in the negative list and a special list so that the farmers would not be affected, he said.
