Explained: This article explains the political background, key decisions, and possible outcomes related to Explained : Rahul Gandhi vows to fight for farmers, calls India-US trade pact a ‘sell-out’ and Its Impact and why it matters right now.
The remarks came as Gandhi addressed a meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party in the Parliament House annexe, where he praised the party’s Lok Sabha members for raising public concerns during the first phase of the Budget session and said the Opposition had managed to corner the government on several issues.
According to sources, he described the India-US interim trade deal as a “sell-out” and urged MPs to take this message to the public, stressing that they must stand firmly with farmers against what he termed injustice arising from the agreement.
His comments echoed earlier criticism in Parliament, where he labelled the pact a “wholesale surrender” and a “tragedy”, accusing the government of yielding under pressure and failing to leverage India’s strengths in areas such as data, human resources and food production.
The trade agreement has triggered political controversy and protests beyond Parliament. Thousands of farmers across India have demonstrated against the pact, alleging that it could harm rural incomes by exposing domestic agriculture to competition from subsidised US imports.
Trade unions and farm groups also staged a nationwide strike on Thursday, arguing that tariff reductions and market openings threaten small farmers, workers and local businesses. Critics contend that the deal may open Indian markets to heavily subsidised foreign products, potentially undermining domestic producers and self-reliance goals.