Farmers reject India-US trade deal, call nationwide protests on Feb 12
Major farmer organisations including SKM, AIKS and BKU say the interim trade framework threatens Indian agriculture and dairy, demand Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal resign, and will back protests and a general strike on February 12.
- SKM, AIKS and other unions say the interim India-US trade framework amounts to a surrender of Indian agriculture.
- SKM demanded Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal resign and urged the prime minister not to sign a full free trade agreement.
- Protests, including planned effigy burnings, and support for a February 12 general strike have been announced across the country.
- The framework would cut US tariffs on some Indian goods to 18 percent from 50 percent while India would reduce or remove duties on many US industrial and agricultural products including dried distillers grains, red sorghum and soybean oil.
- Farmer leaders called for the issue to be debated in Parliament and warned of mass mobilisations if the government proceeds with the agreement.