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India–US trade deal biggest betrayal of farmers, alleges AAP leader Kuldeep Dhaliwal
AAP Punjab chief spokesperson claims zero-duty access for US farm produce will hurt Indian growers; challenges BJP to make draft of deal public.
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Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab’s chief spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal on Wednesday sharply criticised the proposed India–US trade deal, calling it the “biggest betrayal” of Indian farmers and accusing the BJP-led Centre of compromising the country’s agricultural interests.
Addressing a press conference in Chandigarh along with AAP leader Prabhvir Brar, Dhaliwal targeted Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar for defending the deal and demanded that the government make the draft of the agreement public. He alleged that while the United States has imposed an 18% tariff on Indian goods, the Modi government has allowed American products to enter Indian markets at zero duty.
“How can this be called a fair trade deal?” Dhaliwal asked. “American farmers will sell their produce in India without paying any tax, while Indian farmers will be forced to pay 18% tax to sell their goods in the US. This is clearly anti-farmer and against national interest.”
Dhaliwal warned that the agreement would open Indian markets to American agricultural products such as red sorghum, which could severely impact farmers growing maize, millets and sorghum in states like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. He also claimed that zero-duty imports of apples, almonds and walnuts from the US would harm growers in Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh.
Taking a political swipe at Jakhar, the AAP leader compared his support for the trade deal to the Shiromani Akali Dal’s backing of the now-repealed farm laws. “Just as the Badal family advocated the three black farm laws, Jakhar is now advocating this deal. Everyone can see what happened to the Akalis,” Dhaliwal said, cautioning Jakhar against “meeting the same political fate”.
Dhaliwal further alleged that details of the deal have so far emerged only through statements and social media posts by former US President Donald Trump, while the Indian government has neither discussed the issue in Parliament nor taken farmers into confidence. “The Prime Minister has remained silent and has mortgaged the country’s interests,” he claimed.
He said the issue was not limited to farmers alone but concerned the entire country, and asserted that AAP would continue to question the BJP over the agreement. “We will expose every attempt to mislead farmers and the public,” Dhaliwal said.
