New Delhi, March 14: Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, on Saturday alleged that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government was “sacrificing” Indian agriculture for its “own self-interest,” accusing it of evading his questions on the Minimum Support Price (MSP) and the interim trade agreement with the United States.
In a post on Facebook, Gandhi expressed dissatisfaction with the replies given by Bhagirath Choudhary, Minister of State for Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, to his unstarred questions in the Lok Sabha.
“In the Lok Sabha, I asked the government a direct question: Why has the promise of a statutory MSP—calculated at C2+50%—made to farmers in 2021 not yet been implemented? Instead of giving a direct reply, the government merely repeated its existing MSP policy,” Gandhi said.
He further alleged that the government admitted to pressuring states to discontinue MSP bonuses, claiming the move was justified in the name of “national priorities.”
Raising concerns over the trade agreement with the United States, Gandhi questioned whether India’s commitment to reduce “non-trade barriers” could impact policies related to genetically modified crops, MSP and public procurement.
“Another important question arises: the trade agreement with the United States speaks of reducing ‘non-trade barriers’. Does this indicate an attempt to weaken the MSP system and government procurement? The government has evaded this question as well,” he said.
“The Modi government is not only refusing to fulfil the promises made to farmers but is also prepared to sacrifice Indian agriculture for its own interests,” Gandhi alleged.
He added that his party would continue to raise the issue both inside and outside Parliament to defend farmers’ rights and protect the MSP mechanism.
Gandhi has repeatedly criticised the Centre over the proposed trade deal, warning that it could prove “devastating” for the agriculture sector.
On February 7, India and the United States announced that they had reached a framework for an interim agreement aimed at reciprocal and mutually beneficial trade.
Key provisions of the agreement include India eliminating or reducing tariffs on several US industrial goods and a range of American food and agricultural products such as dried distillers’ grains, red sorghum for animal feed, tree nuts, fresh and processed fruits, soybean oil, wine, spirits and other items.
In return, the United States will apply a reciprocal tariff rate of 18 percent on certain Indian goods—including textiles, apparel, leather, footwear, plastics, rubber products, organic chemicals, home décor items, artisanal goods and select machinery—under an executive order issued on April 2, 2025, as amended.
