3 min readNew DelhiFeb 5, 2026 04:48 AM IST
First published on: Feb 5, 2026 at 04:48 AM IST
Terming the recently-announced Indo-US trade deal “anti-farmer”, Leader of the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said on Wednesday that it would spark another farmer’s movement, forcing the government to go back on it.
Speaking during the discussion on the Motion of Thanks on the President’s Address, Kharge said it was an insult to Parliament that MPs came to know about the trade deal from US President Donald Trump’s announcement when the House was in session.
Kharge cited the social media post by US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins on Tuesday in which she said that the deal would include more American farm products making their way to India.
Earlier in the day, Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal had reiterated that the government had ensured that India’s agriculture and dairy sectors were kept secure during the negotiations of the deal.
Kharge said Indian farmers would be destroyed by the deal, while American farmers would benefit.
“After taking back the black laws [the three farm laws that were withdrawn in 2021 after over a year-long farmers’ protest], now you are making the same mistake again…Once again, there will be a farmers’ movement and when they come out on to the streets…you will have to take this back like you took that [the three farm laws] back,” he said.
Speaking about the trade with China, Kharge said a red carpet was being laid for Chinese trade today. He termed it a “strategic surrender”, saying that China was repeatedly claiming territory in Arunachal Pradesh. He said the trade was increasing at a time the government says that China had come to the aid of Pakistan during Operation Sindoor.
Kharge also raised concerns over the attacks on minorities during the NDA government’s term, saying that social justice and harmony were being bulldozed.
Intervening after Kharge, Health Minister and Leader of the House J P Nadda cited Goyal’s statement, reiterating that agriculture and dairy sectors have been protected in the trade deal.
Earlier, speaking during the discussion, Nadda said the Commerce Minister had said that India and the US would work together to finalise the details of the deal. He said there had been drastic changes during the tenure of the Narendra Modi government and that “right response” was given to Pakistan after the Uri, Pulwama and Pahalgam terror attacks.
Taking a dig at the Opposition, Nadda asked Skill Development Minister Jayant Chaudhary to start “skill development” for the parties. “You have not been able to become credible in 11 years,” he said to the Opposition.
Congress president and MP Mallikarjun Kharge. (Screenshot from Sansad TV video) 
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