Bhopal, February 23 Members of the opposition Congress in Madhya Pradesh staged a demonstration in the state assembly on Monday to protest the India-US trade deal, calling it a "threat" to farmers and alleging that it would seriously impact agricultural markets and the rural economy.
On the sixth day of the assembly session, Congress legislators, led by Leader of the Opposition Umang Singhar, gathered in front of the Mahatma Gandhi statue on the premises, wearing masks of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, and chanting slogans against the trade deal and the injustice being done to farmers.
"Through this protest, the Congress Legislature Party has sent a clear message that it will not tolerate any compromise on the interests of farmers," Singhar told reporters.
The agitation was not merely a political one, he said, adding that it was a strong voice raised to protect the rights, dignity, and future of the country's food providers.
The India-US trade deal poses a significant threat to farmers. If cheap foreign soybeans, corn, and cotton enter the Indian market, it will have a direct and serious impact on our hardworking farmers, agricultural markets, and the rural economy," Singhar said.
He further alleged that the BJP government's policies have consistently been anti-farmer, and the Congress will continue to fight from the streets to the Parliament to protect the interests of farmers.
The Congress leader demanded that the government ensure the nation's farmers' interests are protected before signing any international trade agreement, and that provisions harming the agriculture sector be reconsidered.
India and the US, earlier this month, agreed on a framework to finalize an interim trade deal, under which Washington will reduce tariffs to 18 per cent. The US Supreme Court later ruled that the tariffs imposed by President Trump on nations around the world were illegal.
Trump announced on Saturday raising tariffs on all countries to 15 per cent from 10 per cent, which he announced a day earlier.
