Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday took a sharp dig at the Congress over its criticism of the India-US trade deal, saying the party had decades in power but failed to link Indian farmers with global markets or ensure economic stability.
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Core farm products kept out of deal, says Chouhan
Defending the agreement, Chouhan said the deal fully safeguards India’s agriculture sector and places farmers’ and national interests above everything else. He stressed that key farm products crucial to Indian cultivators have been deliberately kept out of the pact, leaving no scope for harm to farmers.
“No product has been included in this agreement that would cause even the slightest harm to Indian farmers,” the senior BJP leader said at a press conference at his residence here. He wasn’t just defending the pact—he was throwing the ball back at the Opposition.
Meanwhile, US President Donald Trump announced the two countries had reached a deal. Prime Minister Narendra Modi chimed in too, saying he was thrilled that “made in India” goods would now face a lower tariff of 18 percent.
Congress calls deal a ‘surrender’
But the Congress party slammed the agreement on Saturday. According to them, India hasn’t gained anything from this deal—in fact, they called it a “surrender” of national pride and interests. Pawan Khera, Congress’s media chief, went further, warning that India could soon become a dumping ground for American goods, which would hurt farmers and small businesses.
Chouhan wasn’t having any of it. He said the Opposition was just stirring up panic, claiming the agreement would wreck agriculture. “Look closely,” he said. “Go into the depth of it and see – all those agricultural products which are the core strength of our farmers have been kept out of this agreement. National interest is paramount, farmers’ interest is paramount,” he asserted.
He pointed out that Modi himself had promised not to let the country bow or let farmers suffer. “You will see in this trade deal that both these aspects have been fully taken care of,” the Union minister said.
He reminded everyone that Congress had decades in power, but never opened global markets to Indian farmers or brought real growth to the economy. “On the contrary, at the time of Independence, the Indian economy was the world’s sixth largest. It was pushed down to the 11th position. Now we are rapidly moving towards the third position,” he pointed out.
Chouhan also highlighted that India won’t allow any genetically modified (GM) products in, calling that a major step. “That keeps Indian agriculture pure. Our soil and seeds stay safe,” he said.
He rattled off a long list of products that won’t get tariff breaks or entry from the US: meat, poultry, dairy, soybean, maize, rice, wheat, sugar, coarse grains, bananas, strawberries, cherries, citrus fruits, green peas, chickpeas, moong, oilseeds, ethanol, and tobacco. The same goes for dehusked grains, flour, potatoes, onions, peas, beans, cucumbers, mushrooms, frozen vegetables, oranges, grapes, lemons, and mixed canned veggies.
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And dairy products? Milk, cream, yoghurt, butter, ghee, paneer, cheese—none of it’s coming in, according to Chouhan.
He added that spices like black pepper, cloves, dried green chilies, cinnamon, coriander, cumin, ginger, turmeric, carom seeds, fenugreek, mustard, and more are also excluded.
All these steps, he said, would keep Indian farmers’ livelihoods secure.
Still, Congress kept up its attack on Modi, saying the interim trade deal with the US goes against India’s interests, and all the “huglomacy and photo-ops” haven’t actually delivered anything meaningful. |
