Mallikarjun Kharge slams govt in Rajya Sabha, warns of farmers’ revolt over India-US trade deal

New Delhi:Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha, Mallikarjun Kharge, launched a scathing attack on the Central government during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the President’s address on Wednesday.

He accused the administration of compromising national interests through the recently announced India-US trade deal, warning that it would force Indian farmers into unfair competition with their American counterparts and severely impact their livelihoods.

Kharge asserted that the deal, highlighted by US President Donald Trump and acknowledged by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, placed Indian agriculture at risk by potentially opening markets to American products while reducing tariffs reciprocally.

“You are setting up Indian farmers to compete with American farmers, this will impact them severely,” he declared and warned the Union government by predicting a resurgence of farmer protests, saying, “The farmers’ revolution will happen again, and you will have to take these measures back.”

Questioning India’s global standing, Kharge asked, “When our sovereignty is being attacked, when we are under the control of Trump, what is our position in our world?”

The Congress President described the Union government’s position as untenable, remarking that “even if the advocacy is good, the case is so bad that it cannot be won”.

He criticised the President’s address for remaining silent on key issues and outlined several critical areas he intended to highlight before the House; social justice, social harmony, attacks on constitutional institutions, economic challenges, the struggles of farmers and labourers, and shortcomings in foreign policy.

Turning to social justice, Kharge lamented its deterioration under the current Narendra Modi-led Union government.

He accused the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) of treating women merely as a vote bank, questioning why the Union government had failed to implement reservations for women in Legislatures and other spheres despite repeated promises.

He said that the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, the ideological parent of the BJP, had not had a woman leader in years, underscoring what he called a deep-seated neglect of gender equality.

Kharge’s speech mostly focussed on tensions in Parliament over the India-US trade agreement, announced via social media platform Truth Social by President Trump following a phone conversation with PM Modi.

The trade deal reportedly includes US tariff reductions on Indian goods from 25 per cent to 18 per cent, commitments from India to lower barriers to zero on US products, increased purchases of American energy and agricultural items, and a shift away from Russian oil.

Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had earlier defended the trade pact between India and the US in both Houses of the Parliament, insisting it protected India’s agriculture and dairy sectors while promising further negotiations to finalise details.

Kharge made remarks with broader concerns over economic sovereignty, rural distress, and social equity, setting the stage for continued confrontations during the Budget session.

IANS