Rahul challenges PM Modi to cancel India-US trade deal after tariffs get struck down

Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, on Tuesday (February 24) challenged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to cancel the US-India trade deal after the US Supreme Court struck down President Donald Trump’s global tariffs, stating that the act of imposing the levies was beyond his official mandate.

‘Under pressure from Trump’

Addressing the 'Kisan Mahachaupal' farmers' rally in Bhopal, Rahul further alleged that PM Modi would not be able to cancel the trade with the US as he was under pressure from President Trump.

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"Other countries decided to abandon the deal after the US Supreme Court decision, but PM Modi stayed silent. I challenge Modi ji from this platform that when the US Supreme Court has given its verdict on the deal, then cancel the deal with America. He cannot cancel the deal due to pressure from Trump,” said Rahul.

“He cannot cancel the deal due to pressure from Trump. India has the largest population and the largest amount of data. But PM Modi gave all our data to the US. If there were no pressure on PM Narendra Modi, he would not have done this. He sold India to save his image and political future," he added as quoted by ANI.

Farmers’ interests and ‘Epstein files’ claim

Rahul further alleged that even though the India-US trade deal was against the interest of farmers, PM Modi agreed to it under pressure from Trump and due to the Epstein files.

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"The Indo-US trade deal is against the interests of our farmers and was done by PM Modi under the pressure of US President Donald Trump because of Epstein files and to save industrialist Adani," he alleged.

'Ministers not taken into confidence'

The Congress leader also accused PM Modi of agreeing to sign the Indo-US trade deal without taking Union ministers Rajnath Singh (Defence), Shivraj Singh Chouhan (Agriculture) and Nitin Gadkari (Road Transport and Highways) into confidence.

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"This is not a deal, but an arrow struck in the hearts of the country's farmers," Gandhi said. He also alleged that through the trade deal, the PM has compromised the interests of India's agriculture, data, textile and import sectors.

Lok Sabha remarks on Naravane's memoir

Gandhi said he was not allowed to speak in the Lok Sabha after the President's address. On former Army chief Gen M M Naravane's memoir, the Congress leader said the decision to go to war is political, and not a military one.

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge, who was also present at the event, said the PM was a coward, and added that the Indo-US trade deal shows the government's surrender.

(With agency inputs)