‘Witnessing betrayal of Indian farmers in name of US trade deal’: Rahul targets Centre

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Sunday intensified his attack on the Centre over the India–US interim trade deal, alleging that the country was “witnessing a betrayal” of Indian farmers and seeking clarity from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on the agreement’s implications for agriculture.

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi said the issue concerned the long-term future of the country’s farming sector and questioned whether India was allowing another nation to gain a sustained foothold in its agricultural economy.

“In the name of a US trade deal, we are witnessing a betrayal of Indian farmers,” Gandhi said.

Raising a series of questions, he asked what the proposed import of Dried Distillers’ Grains (DDG) would mean for India’s dairy sector. “Does it mean that Indian cattle will be fed distillers’ grains made from GM American corn? Won’t this effectively make our milk products dependent on the US agricultural industry?” he asked.

The Congress leader also flagged concerns over the potential import of genetically modified soy oil, questioning its impact on soybean farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and other states. “How will they withstand another price shock?” he asked.

Gandhi further sought clarification on references to “additional products” in the deal, asking whether pulses and other crops could eventually be opened up to US imports. He also questioned the removal of so-called “non-trade barriers”, asking if it could lead to pressure on India to loosen its stance on genetically modified crops, weaken procurement systems or reduce minimum support prices (MSP) and bonuses.

“This isn’t just about today. It’s about the future too — are we allowing another country to gain a long-term hold on India’s agriculture industry?” he said, adding that farmers deserved clear answers from the government.

The remarks come a day after Gandhi accused the Centre of “cheating” cotton farmers and textile exporters, claiming the trade agreement could significantly harm both sectors. He had alleged that tariff structures under the deal could disadvantage Indian garments compared with Bangladesh’s zero per cent tariff regime.

“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 had said earlier.

The government has not issued an immediate response to Gandhi’s latest allegations.