Farmers betrayed: Rahul Gandhi's 5 easy questions to PM over India-US trade deal

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday launched a pointed attack on the Centre over the trade deal with the US, reasserting that it could “betray” Indian farmers and compromise the country’s agricultural sovereignty. Raising five specific questions to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, he sought clarity on multiple points including, genetically modified crops, removal of non-trade barriers, and concerns about opening floodgates to American agricultural products.

“We are witnessing a betrayal of India’s farmers in the name of a US trade deal,” Gandhi wrote on X as he posted the questions.

The Congress MP, who has been attacking the BJP-led government in the past few days over the deal inside the Parliament and outside, asked:

1. What exactly does importing DDG mean? Does it mean Indian cattle will be fed distillers grain made from GM American corn? Won’t this effectively make our milk production dependent on the American agricultural industry?
2. If we allow the import of GM soybean oil, what will happen to our soybean farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and across the country? How will they survive yet another price shock?
3. When you say “additional products”, what exactly is included? Is this a signal that over time there will be pressure to open up pulses and other crops to American imports?
4. What does removing “non-trade barriers” actually mean? Will India face pressure in the future to soften its stand on GM crops, weaken procurement, or reduce MSP and bonuses?
5. Once this door is opened, how will we stop it from being opened wider every year? Will there be any safeguards, or will more and more crops be quietly placed on the table in every successive deal?

Gandhi said farmers in India deserve clear answers to these questions from the Prime Minister.

"This is not just about today. This is about the future — are we allowing another country to establish a long-term grip over India’s agricultural sector?," he asked.

India and the United States recently announced an interim trade agreement under which Washington will reduce tariffs on a wide range of Indian goods from levels that had climbed to nearly 50 per cent to around 18 per cent. In return, India has agreed to step up purchases of American goods, including energy and technology products, with a non-binding target of up to USD 500 billion over the coming years. The government says the framework excludes sensitive US agricultural imports to safeguard domestic interests and preserves India’s policy space on key issues, while both sides have committed to advancing deeper economic cooperation.

The announcement drew sharp reactions from the Congress and other Opposition parties, which claimed that the provisions were detrimental to India’s farmers and domestic markets, alleging that the agreement disproportionately favours the United States.

Launching a no-holds-barred attack in the Lok Sabha last week, Gandhi alleged that the government had “sold Bharat Mata” through the India-US interim trade deal, describing it as a “wholesale surrender” that hands over India’s energy security to the United States while compromising farmers’ interests. Participating in the debate on the Union Budget, he said he could not believe that any Indian Prime Minister, including Narendra Modi, would agree to such a deal unless there was a “chokehold” on him.

The BJP launched a strong counterattack on the Congress leader, accusing him of spreading misinformation and making false claims.

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Saturday asserted that the interests of Indian farmers and fishermen have been fully secured in the trade deal as he slammed Gandhi for misleading them with "lies" and trying to create an "illusion". Shah charged that Gandhi "has started a new tradition of telling lies daily" and asked him to carefully go through the fine-print of the recent deals clinched with the UK and EU, besides the US.

"It's Rahul Gandhi's policy to lie, lie loudly, repeat it. But people have identified your lie manufacturing factory. Rahul Gandhi wants to mislead the country's fishermen and farmers. He intends to spread illusion by telling lies," Shah charged.

Meanwhile, Gandhi met leaders of farm unions from across the country in Parliament House on Friday and discussed the need for a nationwide movement to oppose the India-US interim trade deal as well as safeguarding the livelihoods of farmers and farm labourers.

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