Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi on Thursday alleged that US President Donald Trump used the so-called “Epstein files” to pressure Prime Minister Narendra Modi into signing a trade agreement that would “sacrifice” Indian farmers. Addressing a farmers’ convention in Peravoor in Kannur district, the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha claimed that the India-US pact was forced under threat and linked it to broader issues, including the Adani matter.

Speaking to a gathering of farmers, Rahul said the government does not adequately recognise that agriculture forms the foundation of India’s economy and society. He remarked that while lengthy speeches are often delivered about growth in IT and other modern sectors, no structure can stand without a strong base. Drawing an analogy, he said if the foundation is not respected or protected, nothing lasting can be built on top of it. Farmers, he added, are the ones who build that foundation, yet they remain overlooked and under-protected despite feeding the nation every day.

Rahul alleged that the prime minister had agreed to a deal with the United States that amounted to “digging the foundation” of India’s agricultural system. According to him, opening Indian agricultural markets to American farmers would severely disadvantage domestic producers. He argued that Indian farmers are predominantly small landholders operating with limited mechanisation and financial backing, whereas American farmers typically manage vast, highly mechanised farms with substantial state support.

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Highlighting the structural disparity between the two agricultural systems, Rahul said allowing large-scale American farm products into Indian markets would create unequal competition. He described such a move as a “criminal act", contending that it could erode the livelihood of millions of small and marginal farmers across the country. The Congress leader warned that exposing India’s agriculture sector to heavily mechanised and subsidised foreign competition without safeguards would “destroy the foundation” of Indian farming.

Rahul also sought to frame the issue as part of a larger pattern of policy decisions that, in his view, prioritise powerful interests over ordinary citizens. He maintained that any trade arrangement must protect India’s rural economy and ensure that farmers are not pushed into deeper financial distress. The remarks come amid ongoing political debate over India’s trade negotiations and the broader direction of agricultural reforms.

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