Bhopal, February 21 The Madhya Pradesh Congress on Saturday criticized Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan over the Indo-US interim trade agreement, saying he had not stood with the country's farmers.
Addressing a press conference, the party's state in-charge Harish Chaudhary, its MP chief Jitu Patwari, and Assembly Leader of Opposition Umang Singhar said the trade agreement would negatively affect Indian farmers and put their livelihoods at risk.
They said the Congress would organize 'Kisan Sammelans' across the country against the deal. The first such event would be held in Bhopal on February 24, where Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, opposition leaders in the Rajya Sabha and Lok Sabha, respectively, would be present.
Patwari alleged that Union Minister Chouhan, who was previously the chief minister of Madhya Pradesh, had failed to stand with farmers. "This agreement insults farmers. Farmers of Madhya Pradesh will not remain silent," he said.
He said a 'chaupal' (gathering) and a foot march would be held in Budhni and Vidisha, respectively. Chouhan represents the Vidisha Lok Sabha constituency. Earlier, he was an MLA from Budhni.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi has sold India's farmers to America," Patwari said.
Chaudhary said that restrictions on foodgrain supply by the United States in 1965 and 1971 had severely impacted India, after which the Green Revolution made the country self-reliant.
He said that the proposed trade deal could create similar conditions.
"If soybean is imported from the US, farmers and small traders will be badly affected. India is self-reliant in cotton, yet imports will directly hit farmers' consumption and income," he added.
Chaudhary said the trade arrangement amounted to India's "surrender" to the US. He said that the trade deal could push lakhs of small industries and factories towards closure.
Singhar said that the trade deal was not in the national interest.