NEW DELHI: Opposition leaders on Saturday criticized the framework for an interim trade agreement between India and the United States, accusing the government of undermining India’s interests and raising concerns about its impact on farmers, tariffs and oil imports.Congress leader Randeep Singh Surjewala warned that the deal could harm farmers and rural livelihoods. He said, “A blow to the stomach of India’s 720 million farmers has taken away the livelihood of India’s 720 million food providers, farm workers and farmers.”He also expressed concerns about agricultural imports from the United States. “U.S. corn, U.S. soybeans, U.S. sorghum, U.S. walnuts, almonds, pistachios, fresh fruits such as apples and oranges, processed fruits and other ‘additional’ agricultural products will flood the Indian market,” he said.Surjewala questioned the government on the possible impact. “We have imported $334 million worth of cotton from the United States, which has led to a collapse in cotton prices for Indian farmers. Now, with corn, cotton, sorghum, fruits, processed fruits and soybeans being imported from the United States, I ask Prime Minister Modi and Piyush Goyal: What will happen to Indian farmers? Where will they go?” he said.Congress leader Pawan Hera also attacked the government over the India-US interim trade agreement, questioning what he called a change in India’s diplomatic posture. “Where is the India that looked the Nixons, George Bushs and Obamas in the eye and had pragmatic relations?” he asked. Kaira claimed that the interests of ordinary Indians were being harmed, saying: “This is not an agreement with the United States, but a compromise on our self-esteem.” He said those who predicted the success of the framework were already aware of its impact. “This is not an agreement, this is a surrender,” he said, adding that the opposition was unable to raise the issues in parliament because the government feared scrutiny of the deal’s terms.RJD MP Manoj Kumar Jha also criticized the tariff changes and accused the government of misleading the public. “On most things, our tariffs, at the worst of times and at the best of times, were 2.9 percent. Through threats, it was raised to 50 percent. Then it was lowered to 18 percent. Is that something to celebrate? Aren’t you misleading the entire country?” he said.He warned the deal could spark public outrage once its full implications are understood. “When this situation develops further and comes to the forefront, there will be riots on the streets,” Jia said.India and the United States on Saturday announced a framework for an interim agreement on mutually beneficial trade as part of wider talks on a bilateral trade deal.
