New Delhi, February 14 Congress leader Rahul Gandhi accused the government on Saturday of cheating cotton farmers and textile exporters in the country over the India-US interim trade deal, saying the agreement is likely to inflict deep damage on both sectors.
He also claimed that the trade deal, which now favors Bangladesh through zero per cent tariffs, will either cripple the textile sector or cotton farming, or both, and the entire country knows this.
In a post on X, he said that the government has neither protected the interests of cotton farmers nor that of textile exporters, as a visionary government would have negotiated a deal that protected both and ensured prosperity for both sectors.
"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 said in his post.
Responding to Gandhi, Textile Minister Giriraj Singh accused Rahul Gandhi of spreading "misinformation without understanding the facts".
"The reality is that India has secured a much better and more balanced trade arrangement with the US compared to many of our competing countries – a deal designed holistically to support industry growth while safeguarding the interests of our farmers," Singh said.
"India's cotton export story is stronger and more diversified than ever," Singh added, noting that it is not dependent on just one market.
In his post, Gandhi said that Bangladesh is being given zero per cent tariff benefit on garment exports to the US – the only condition is that they import American cotton.
"After the announcement of 18 percent tariff on Indian garments, when I raised the question in Parliament about the special concession being given to Bangladesh, the reply from a minister of the Modi government was: 'If we also want the same benefit, we will have to import cotton from America'," he said.
"Why was this fact hidden from the country till now? And what kind of policy is this? Is this really any kind of choice - or is it a trap designed to push us into a 'well in front, ditch behind' situation," he asked.
The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said, "If we import American cotton, our own farmers will be ruined. If we don't import it, our textile industry will lag behind and get destroyed."
And now, he claimed, Bangladesh is also giving signals that it may reduce or even stop importing cotton from India, he said.
Gandhi said that the textile industry and cotton farming are the backbone of livelihood in India, he noted, adding that crores of people's daily bread depend on these very sectors.
Attacking these sectors means pushing millions of families into the pit of unemployment and economic crisis, Gandhi claimed, adding that India's textile sector provides employment to five crore families and Modi's US deal will destroy the textile sector.
"I call this surrender as it will either kill the textile sector or cotton sector or both," Gandhi also said in a video message.
"A visionary government that thinks in the national interest would have negotiated a deal that protects and ensures the prosperity of both cotton farmers and textile exporters," he said.
"But exactly the opposite has happened – Narendra 'Surrender' Modi and his ministers have made an agreement that is likely to inflict deep damage on both sectors," he said in his post.
