The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab has launched a scathing attack on the Union Government over the newly minted India-US trade deal, labeling it an “anti-national” conspiracy designed to bankrupt the Indian peasantry. AAP Punjab Chief Spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwal characterized the agreement not as a diplomatic victory, but as a total economic surrender that prioritizes American surplus over Indian livelihoods.
The “Trump Tweet” Diplomacy
Addressing a press conference, Dhaliwal took aim at the lack of transparency surrounding the negotiations. He pointed out the irony of a “historic” deal being communicated via US President Donald Trump’s social media rather than the floor of the Indian Parliament.
“The Prime Minister remained silent while the nation learned about its fate from abroad,” Dhaliwal remarked. He specifically flagged the recurring emphasis on ‘agriculture’ in US statements as a primary cause for alarm, suggesting that India has opened its gates to heavily subsidized American farm products that local growers cannot compete with.
Indigenous Crops Under Siege
The AAP leader highlighted a grim future for specific agricultural sectors if the deal proceeds:
- Grains & Cotton: With 75% of the world’s red sorghum produced in the US, Dhaliwal warned that Maharashtra’s drought-prone farmers would be wiped out. Similarly, subsidized US cotton and corn threaten to collapse markets in Punjab, Haryana, and Karnataka.
- Horticulture: Apple growers in Himachal Pradesh and Kashmir, along with almond and walnut farmers in Jammu & Kashmir, face an existential threat from cheap American imports.
- Tariff Disparity: Dhaliwal slammed the lopsided math of the deal, noting that while the US maintains high tariffs on Indian exports, India has slashed duties on US products from 60% to nearly zero.
Political Sparring over Punjab’s Future
The spokesperson also directed his ire toward BJP leader Sunil Jakhar, accusing him of misleading the public to please his “political masters.” Dhaliwal challenged Jakhar to explain a single tangible benefit for the Indian farmer in a market flooded with foreign produce.
“This isn’t trade; it’s a death warrant for our farmers,” Dhaliwal stated, asserting that the influx of US dairy and grain would lead to a spike in rural bankruptcy and farmer suicides. The Aam Aadmi Party has vowed to escalate its protests, promising to expose the “anti-farmer conspiracy” across every village in Punjab.