Rahul Gandhi Tells Piyush Goyal: Don't Lie Over Farmers' Meeting On US Trade Pact

Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday sharply countered Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal, urging him not to lie about the implications of the India-US interim trade agreement. Gandhi's remarks came in response to Goyal's earlier dismissal of a meeting Gandhi held with farmer representatives as "stage-managed" and based on a "fake narrative."

The exchange escalated from Gandhi's Friday interaction at his Parliament office with leaders from 17 major farmer unions across the country. During the meeting, participants voiced strong concerns over the trade deal, alleging it could harm Indian farmers—particularly in cotton and other agricultural sectors—by forcing imports of US cotton, potentially ruining domestic producers and impacting the textile industry. Gandhi shared a video of the discussion on social media, describing the pact as a "surrender" by Prime Minister Narendra Modi that betrays food security and leaves millions facing unemployment and distress. He claimed the government had walked into a "trap" that prioritizes US interests over Indian livelihoods.

Goyal hit back on Friday, accusing Gandhi of orchestrating an "artificial and baseless" conversation using Congress activists posing as farmer leaders to mislead the public and provoke sentiment against the government. In a video statement, he insisted that farmers' interests, including those of growers of wheat, rice, millets, soya, corn, spices, and fruits, have been "fully protected" under the deal. He labeled Gandhi a "habitual liar" spreading falsehoods and emphasized that the Modi administration has consistently safeguarded annadatas (food providers) while benefiting farmers, fishermen, youth, MSMEs, and startups.

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On Saturday, Gandhi escalated the rebuttal in a post and video, directly addressing Goyal: "Piyush Goyal ji.. don't lie." He reiterated his claims about the deal's adverse effects on cotton farmers and textile exporters, pointing to parliamentary discussions where concessions to Bangladesh were highlighted and the alleged requirement to import US cotton to gain similar benefits. "This is the truth of the US deal, the reality of Narendra Modi's agreement. Piyush Goyal ji please don’t lie," Gandhi stated, framing the pact as likely to inflict "deep damage" on key sectors.

The verbal clash reflects heightened political tensions over the India-US trade framework, finalized amid ongoing negotiations and amid broader debates on economic policy, agriculture, and international relations. While the government maintains the agreement includes strong safeguards, opposition leaders continue to rally farmer concerns, calling for greater transparency and protection. The dispute has drawn attention from both sides, with BJP figures defending the deal's merits and Congress pushing back against what it sees as misleading assurances. As the controversy unfolds, it underscores ongoing divisions on trade policy impacts on India's agrarian economy.

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