Mohali, February 11 Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar stated on Wednesday that the India-US interim trade agreement will not have any negative impact on farmers, and will instead benefit industry and trade while creating new employment opportunities for the youth.
He invited farmer organizations for dialogue, stating that if they see any shortcomings in the trade agreement, they should choose the path of discussion rather than agitation.
The BJP state president emphasized that crops grown in Punjab, such as wheat, rice, maize, and sugarcane, have been kept outside the scope of the agreement and will not affect farmers in any way.
Jakhar said that every farmer acknowledges that agriculture is not a highly profitable occupation. While it sustains families, it does not generate enough income to fulfill their children's aspirations, he said here.
"Every family wants their children to find employment beyond farming. However, this will only be possible if new industries are established and trade expands," he noted.
Jakhar said this deal is a step in that direction, as it will give India's industry and trade access to the $30 trillion US economy.
As industry and trade grow, new employment opportunities will be created for the youth, said Jakhar, who was accompanied by the BJP's Mohali district unit president Sanjiv Vashisht.
The BJP president appealed to farmer groups to clearly state what impact they believe the deal will have on Punjab's farmers.
He invited them for discussions, assuring that if any farmer organization feels the agreement will affect Punjab's farmers, they should come forward for talks, and all their concerns will be addressed.
Jakhar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is firmly committed to protecting farmers' interests, and the same resolve has ensured that Punjab farmers' interests are safeguarded in this agreement.
He urged farmer groups to press for the implementation of an agricultural policy in Punjab, which farmers had protested for a year ago, but has still not been implemented.
Hitting out at the AAP government in the state, the Punjab BJP chief stated that the law-and-order situation in the state has "deteriorated significantly" and that drug abuse is destroying the youth.
If protests are to be held, they should be focused on these real issues rather than on a non-existent issue, as there is nothing anti-Punjab in the deal, he asserted.
He further said that while the US president is speaking about making America great again, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, in the current global circumstances, has successfully pursued the policy of making India great while safeguarding national interests through this agreement, for which he deserves appreciation.
