Rahul meets farm unions over trade deal

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Friday met representatives of farm unions from across the country at the Parliament House complex to discuss launching a nationwide movement against the proposed India-US interim trade deal.

Sharing a video of the interaction on X, Gandhi criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the agreement would harm Indian farmers and agricultural workers.

Calling the proposed pact a threat to rural livelihoods, Gandhi said the concerns of farmers were evident during the meeting. “This is not just a trade agreement, but a direct attack on the livelihoods of our food providers,” he said, adding that farmers already grappling with inflation, rising input costs and uncertainty over minimum support prices (MSP) would be placed at a disadvantage.

He claimed that the deal could expose domestic farmers to competition from heavily subsidised foreign agricultural products backed by advanced mechanisation, putting additional pressure on India’s agrarian economy.

According to sources, the discussions focused on strategies to safeguard the interests of farmers and farm labourers and to build a coordinated response to the trade negotiations. Farm union leaders reportedly expressed apprehensions over the potential impact of reduced tariffs and increased imports on crop prices and rural incomes.