Prime Minister sacrifices farmers because of American trade deal: Rahul Gandhi

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of destroying India’s foundations by reportedly agreeing to open up the agriculture sector to the United States and promising that farmers would not be sacrificed for political or financial interests.

Speaking at a farmers’ convention (Karshaka Sangamam) in Peravoor town in Kannur district of Kerala, Mr. Gandhi said, “Indian farmers are the foundation of the country, just as a building depends on its foundation.”

‘Agriculture remains the backbone’

The Congress leader argued that while significant attention is being paid to sectors like Information Technology (IT), agriculture remains the backbone without which no development is possible. He said farmers across the country have consistently raised concerns over human-animal conflict, lack of cold storage facilities and inability to receive fair prices, including Minimum Support Price (MSP) for crops.

Referring to reports of a trade deal with US President Donald Trump, Mr Gandhi claimed that allowing US agricultural products such as soybeans, maize and fruits into the Indian market would devastate small and marginal farmers in the country.

“Indian farmers are small with limited mechanization, while American farmers are large and heavily mechanized, making the competition uneven.”

Such a move, he claimed, would undermine the achievements of the Green Revolution and the White Revolution.

Mr Gandhi further claimed that negotiations on the US-India deal had been deadlocked for months over agriculture, with the Indian government initially reluctant to open up the sector. He claimed that US pressure and political vulnerabilities had led to a shift in position.

He also claimed he was not allowed to speak during the president’s speech in Parliament, when he planned to raise two issues: unreleased Epstein files in the US and the Adani case in US courts.

Quoting businessman Gautam Adani, Mr Gandhi alleged that legal proceedings involving the Adani Group in the US had put pressure on the Prime Minister. He claimed that these factors had led to decisions that jeopardized the interests of Indian farmers.

‘Contributions to UDF manifesto’

On Kerala, the Congress leader urged farmers to contribute to the manifesto-making process of the United Democratic Front. He said a future UDF government in the state would treat farmers and laborers as the bedrock of Kerala’s economy and act as a service provider instead of waiting for grievances to be raised.

He outlined key priorities including guaranteed MSP, setting up cold chain and warehousing infrastructure and timely protection during crises.

Drawing on his experience as a former MP from Wayanad, he recognized the severity of human-animal conflict in the region and promised that a future government would tackle it with sensitivity and technological intervention, involving experts to develop practical solutions.