New Delhi, February 13 Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, met with leaders of agricultural unions from across the country at the Parliament House complex on Friday, and discussed with them the need for a nationwide movement to oppose the India-US interim trade deal, as well as to protect the livelihoods of farmers and farm laborers.
Posting a video of the meeting on X and taking a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Gandhi said, "Narendra 'submissive' Modi has betrayed India's farmers – and they understand this."
"This is not just a trade agreement, but a direct attack on the livelihoods of our food providers. During a meeting with a delegation of farmers' unions in Parliament today, their concerns were evident. Farmers, who are already struggling with inflation, rising costs, and uncertainty over MSPs, are now facing foreign crops that are heavily subsidized and equipped with mechanical power, without adequate preparation," he said in his post in Hindi.
Gandhi stated that this is not a fair fight, but a one-sided pressure.
"The government's empty assurances will no longer work. The future of farmers cannot be compromised without their consent," the Congress leader asserted.
He said that, regardless of the situation, the Congress and he stand with India's food providers for their rights, security, and dignity.
During the meeting, the leaders of the agricultural unions expressed their opposition to the India-US trade deal and conveyed their deep concern for the livelihoods of corn, soybean, cotton, fruit, and nut growers, the Congress said.
Gandhi told the farmers that the trade deal has opened the door for agricultural imports, and that many other crops will soon follow, according to the opposition party.
The farm leaders and the former Congress chief discussed the need for a large-scale national movement to oppose the deal and protect the livelihoods of farmers and farm laborers, it added.
The farm leaders who met Gandhi included Sukhpal S Khaira, chief of All India Kisan Congress; Ashok Balhara of the Bharatiya Kisan Mazdor Union-Haryana; Baldev S Zira of the BKU-Krantikari; R NandKumar of the Progressive Farmers Front; Amarjit S Mohri of the BKU-Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar; Guramneet S Mangat of the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha-India; and Hameed Malik of the Jammu and Kashmir Zamidara Forum.
Khaira said that a delegation of leaders from various farm unions met Gandhi in his Parliament office to discuss the "anti-farmer" Indo-US treaty. He alleged that the deal is nothing but a complete surrender before the United States.
The meeting came a day after Gandhi asserted that the Bharatiya Janata Party-led Centre can file cases or a privilege motion against him, but he will stand strongly with farmers. He also accused Modi of being "anti-farmer" and "selling" the country through the India-US interim trade deal.
The Congress leader had shared a video statement on X, launching a scathing attack on the Centre over the India-US interim trade deal.
In a post in Hindi on X along with the video, Gandhi had said, "FIR filed, a case registered or a privilege motion brought – I will fight for the farmers."
"Any trade deal that takes away the farmers' livelihood or weakens the country's food security is anti-farmer. We will not let the anti-farmer Modi government compromise on the interests of the food providers," he had asserted.
