CHANDIGARH: Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) has condemned the Government of India decision to impose duty of Rs 8,000 per tonne on the export of basmati rice.

INLD state president Ashok Arora has demanded immediate withdrawal of the Finance Minister's announcement. INLD has also threatened to launch peasant's agitation on the issue.

In a press statement issued here Wednesday, Arora said that INLD would not pull back from making any sacrifice on the issue. He said that this decision to impose export duty would adversely affect the farmers as the 98% of the basmati is exported, while only 2% basmati is used in the country.

This would not have any effect on the inflation as only very small part of the basmati rice is used in the country, he added.