Rahul Gandhi meets farm leaders, voices concern over India-US trade deal

Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Friday met leaders of farm unions from across the country in Parliament House complex during which the need for a nationwide movement to oppose the India-US interim trade deal as well as safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers and farm labourers was discussed.

During the meeting, the farm union leaders expressed their opposition to the India-US trade deal, and conveyed their deep concern for the livelihoods of farmers of corn, soyabean, cotton, fruits and nuts, the Congress said.

Gandhi said the trade deal has opened the door for agricultural imports and that many other crops would soon follow, according to the party.

 

The farm leaders and Rahul Gandhi discussed the need for a large-scale national movement to oppose the deal, and safeguard the livelihoods of farmers and farm labourers, it said.

The farm leaders who met Gandhi here included All India Kisan Congress chief Sukhpal S Khaira, Ashok Balhara of the Bharatiye Kisan Mazdor Union, Haryana, Baldev S Zira of the BKU Krantikari, R. NandKumar of the Progressive Farmers Front, Amarjit S Mohri of the BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Guramneet S Mangat of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha -- India, and Hameed Malik of the J-K Zamidara Forum, among others.

The meeting comes a day after Gandhi asserted that the government can file cases or a privilege motion against him but he will stand strongly with farmers. He had also accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being "anti-farmer" and "selling" the country through the India-US interim trade deal.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha had shared a video statement on X in which he made a scathing attack on the government over the India-US interim trade deal.

In a post in Hindi on X along with the video, Gandhi had said, "FIR is filed, a case is registered, or a privilege motion is brought -- I will fight for the farmers."  "Any trade deal that takes away the farmers' livelihood or weakens the country's food security is anti-farmer. We will not let the anti-farmer Modi government compromise on the interests of the food providers," he had said.