The leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha on Thursday strongly criticized Prime Minister Narendra Modi, claiming that he has “strung himself in a chokehold” and has sold out the “country and farmers”. He also said that even if a privilege motion was brought against him, he would not “back down even an inch”.
In a video shared on Gandhi’s official Twitter handle, he criticized the India-US trade deal, alleging that it jeopardizes India’s energy security, data and the future of farmers. They claim that the agreement favors American farmers, who depend on mechanization and government subsidies, while Indian farmers struggle with small landholdings and limited mechanization.
Making several allegations against the Prime Minister, he said, “Narendra Modi has sold the country, sold the farmers. You can file a case against me, abuse me and do whatever you want. You can bring a privilege motion against me. It doesn’t matter. I have spoken the truth in Parliament.” He further said, “If you don’t like it, that’s a different thing. The country can understand the truth.”
Expressing Congress’ support towards farmers, he said, “Whatever you want, I stand with the farmers. I will not step back even an inch. Congress President Kharge ji, the entire Congress party and I stand with the farmers. We will not allow this injustice to happen.”
Continuing the series of allegations after his impassioned speech in the Lok Sabha yesterday, he said, “Yesterday I said that farmers are the foundation of India. Congress and all of India have fought for food security.” Referring to the India-US interim trade agreement, he alleged that the agreement harms the interests of Indian farmers by opening up the domestic market to American agribusinesses.
Rahul Gandhi alleged, “By entering into an agreement with America, they have cheated cotton farmers, soybean farmers, apple farmers and fruit farmers. For years, foreigners have been trying to capture India’s agricultural market.” Narendra Modi ji has opened the doors for them. “It’s a fact we both know.”
Gandhi claimed that the reason for the agreement was that “the noose has been tightened around Prime Minister Modi’s neck. Donald Trump has taken the reins of Narendra Modi in his hands.”
He said agricultural commodities such as maize, cotton, soybean and fruits were “just the beginning”, and further claimed that the Prime Minister would “open up the entire agricultural market to his friends, people like Adani and Ambani, and to outside forces.” He called the Prime Minister “anti-farmer” and accused him of helping “his friends”.
Gandhi painted a contrasting picture of Indian farmers, describing American farmers as highly mechanized and subsidized farmers who have large land holdings, and claiming that “they have small farms, they do not get proper MSP, and there is no such thing as mechanization.”
Meanwhile, according to sources, the central government will not move a privilege motion against Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi, although the words used in his speech on Wednesday are likely to be removed as his allegations have not been confirmed.
The incident comes a day after Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said that BJP members in the Lok Sabha will move a privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi for “misleading the House and making baseless statements”. He said that the leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, has made baseless and false allegations against the government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said, “We will file a privilege notice against Rahul Gandhi for misleading the House and making baseless statements. There are very clear rules of procedure and procedure in the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha. When a member wants to make a serious allegation against another member, he has to give notice and also prove the allegation.”