Rahul Gandhi deepens see attack on Centre over US trade deal
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Rahul Gandhi on Sunday intensified his criticism of the Union government over the India–US interim trade agreement, saying the deal amounted to a betrayal of Indian farmers and raising a series of pointed questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
The Congress leader said the agreement went beyond short-term political considerations and had implications for the country’s long-term future. He questioned whether India was allowing another nation to gain lasting influence over its agriculture sector. In a post on X in Hindi, he said the deal signified a betrayal of farmers.
As Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Gandhi sought clarity on what the import of dried distillers’ grains (DDG) would entail. He suggested that this could mean Indian cattle being fed feed derived from genetically modified American corn, which could, in turn, make dairy products dependent on the US agricultural industry, TNIE reported.
He also asked what permitting the import of genetically modified soy oil would mean for soybean farmers in states such as Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra and Rajasthan, and whether they would be able to absorb another price shock. Gandhi further sought details on what was meant by “additional products” in the deal, and whether this pointed to gradual pressure to open up pulses and other crops to US imports over time.
Questioning the reference to removing “non-trade barriers”, he asked whether this could eventually lead to India being pushed to soften its position on GM crops, weaken procurement systems, or reduce minimum support prices and bonuses. He cautioned that once such measures were introduced, it could become increasingly difficult to prevent further concessions in the future, and said farmers deserved clear answers on these issues.
A day earlier, Gandhi had accused the government of undermining cotton farmers and textile exporters through the interim trade deal, arguing that the agreement could severely damage both sectors. He claimed the arrangement, which he said favoured Bangladesh through zero tariffs, risked harming cotton cultivation, the textile industry, or both. In another post on X, he criticised the government for failing to safeguard the interests of farmers and exporters, and said a more visionary administration would have negotiated terms that protected both sectors and ensured their long-term viability.
"18 per cent Tariff vs 0 per cent - Let me explain how the prime minister and his cabinet are spreading confusion on this issue. And how they are cheating India's cotton farmers and textile exporters through the India-US trade deal," he had said in his post.
