Bhopal, February 23 Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will interact with farmers and address them at the party's 'Kisan Maha Chaupal', organized in Bhopal on Tuesday, to protest the interim trade agreement between India and the United States.
Extensive preparations have been made for the event to be held at Jawahar Chowk here. Party leaders said that functionaries have been visiting villages to explain how this agreement is against the interests of farmers and the country.
MP Congress President Jitu Patwari, LoP in the Assembly Umang Singh, and former Union Minister Arun Yadav, along with other party leaders, released videos on various social media platforms, appealing to farmers and the general public to attend the 'Maha Chaupal'.
In one such video, Patwari said, "Prime Minister Narendra Modi has signed a trade agreement with America, putting Indian farmers in a vulnerable position. In response, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, will strengthen the farmers' fight at the Kisan Maha Chaupal in Bhopal on Tuesday."
Singhar, while making a similar appeal, alleged that the prices of crops like cotton, soybean, maize, and mustard are falling after the India-US trade agreement.
"The promise of doubling income remains unfulfilled. Farmers are facing debt and distress. When the state is celebrating the 'Farmer Welfare Year', why is attention being diverted from the real issues of farmers?" he asked, describing the 'Maha Chaupal' as a decisive battle for farmers' dignity and rights.
Earlier, Congress MLAs had protested in the assembly over the issue, calling it a "threat" to farmers. They claimed that the agreement would severely impact agricultural markets and the rural economy.