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Amit Shah Accuses Rahul Gandhi Of ‘Spreading Lies’ On US, EU Trade Deals, Says Farmers Protected
Amit Shah Accuses Rahul Gandhi Of ‘Spreading Lies’ On US, EU Trade Deals, Says Farmers Protected
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of spreading lies and misleading farmers over India's trade deals with the US UK and the EU, asserting the central government has fully safeguarded the interests of the agriculture and dairy sectors.
While addressing a gathering after launching India's first Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based Public Distribution System in Gujarat's Gandhinagar, Shah said that the Opposition's allegations that the trade agreements would harm farmers are nothing but “laughable."
“I feel like laughing when Congress's Shahzada Rahul Gandhi stands in Parliament and talks about protecting farmers. The Congress has a long history of misleading the country and now they are spreading lies about trade deals," he said as quoted by news agency PTI.
Referring to the Congress's criticism that the agreements would destroy India's dairy sector, Shah said Rahul Gandhi is spreading a lie that PM Modi has finished India's dairy sector by signing these deals.
“Rahul Gandhi, you are spreading lies. Rahul Gandhi said PM Modi has destroyed our dairy sector by doing this trade deal. We are the people who are paving the way for dairy. PM Modi has done the work of giving complete security to the dairy sector in all the agreements, and through this, the way has been opened for our agricultural products and our fishermen's products to reach the markets all over the world," he said.
The Union Minister asserted that PM Modi and his government had ensured full protection of farmers' interests in every agreement.
“I want to assure the farmers, cattle-rearers and fishermen of this country that in every trade deal signed with the European Union, England and America, Narendra Modi has safeguarded your interests completely. There is no need to worry," he said.
He also challenged the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition to debate the issue on any public platform, saying that even the president of the BJP Yuva Morcha can come and debate on who has harmed farmers and who has worked for their welfare.
“I want to challenge Rahul Gandhi. Set up any platform, the president of the youth wing of the BJP will come and discuss with you, who has caused the harm?… Today, I have come to this platform to tell the farmers of the country that Rahul Gandhi is lying; he is misleading the farmers of the country," he said.
During the previous regime, agreements detrimental to Indian agriculture were signed. PM Modi reversed such provisions as soon as he assumed office in 2014, he said.
Shah said the Congress had spoken of “garibi hatao" but failed to take concrete steps to eradicate poverty, while PM Modi provided houses, gas connections, toilets, drinking water, free foodgrains and health insurance of Rs 5 lakh.
“In 10 years, 27 crore people have been lifted above the poverty line," he stated, adding that today, 81 crore people are receiving free foodgrains in a transparent manner.
Compare 10 years of the Manmohan Singh-led UPA rule and a decade of the Modi government, Shah said, “We have procured 15 times more foodgrains from farmers at MSP." During the Congress government, the budget allocation for farmers was around Rs 26,000 crore. Under PM Modi, it has been increased to over Rs 1.29 lakh crore, said Shah.
“You misled farmers by giving a loan waiver only once in 70 years. For the last 10 years, Modi ji has been directly transferring Rs 6,000 every year into the bank accounts of farmers so that they do not need to depend on loans," he highlighted.
Shah's response came after Rahul Gandhi launched a scathing attack on the Centre over the trade deal with the US, reasserting that it could “betray" Indian farmers and compromise the country's agricultural sovereignty.
The Congress leader posed “five questions" in a post on X. The thrust of his argument was if India is “allowing another country to gain a long-term foothold in agriculture industry".
Responding to Gandhi, several Union Ministers and BJP leaders slammed the former for “spreading lies" and “misleading the farmers".
Union Minister Piyush Goyal tweeted, “Tweet pe Tweet, Jhooth pe Jhooth!"
Union Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw said, “Neither does he know trade, nor does he understand technology."
Union Minister Pralhad Joshi said, “The Government has repeatedly made it clear that major farm products are protected under the trade deal framework and that Farmers interests will never be diluted. However, the Leader of the Opposition is spreading fear through misleading and unfounded claims. It has been clarified and confirmed that the India–US trade deal will not affect our farmers, and no GM food is being imported. Yet, the “hit-and-run" politician chooses to ignore these facts."
Following a phone conversation between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump, both sides recently announced a reduction of US tariffs on Indian goods to 18 per cent from 50 per cent.
Last month, India and the European Union (EU) concluded negotiations for the proposed free trade agreement (FTA), which will help boost two-way commerce and strengthen economic ties between the two sides, Commerce Secretary Rajesh Agrawal earlier said.
(With inputs from agencies)
Source: News18
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