Farmers to hold nationwide protests over India-US trade deal on Feb 12
The Indian farming community is bracing for a major showdown with the government as various farmers’ organizations have announced plans to stage nationwide protests on February 12 against the recently announced India-US trade deal. The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) and the All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), along with several other farmers’ organizations, have come together to express their strong opposition to the interim trade deal, which they claim is a “total surrender” of India’s agriculture and farmers to American multinational corporations (MNCs).
The SKM, a coalition of farmers’ organizations, has been at the forefront of the agitation against the government’s policies, including the now-repealed farm laws. The organization has accused the government of betraying the trust of farmers and compromising the country’s agricultural sovereignty. The SKM has also demanded the resignation of Union Minister Piyush Goyal, who is responsible for negotiating the trade deal, over the matter.
The India-US trade deal, which was announced recently, has sparked widespread outrage among farmers’ organizations, who claim that it will lead to the flooding of the Indian market with cheap American agricultural products, thereby threatening the livelihoods of Indian farmers. The deal is expected to provide greater market access to American farmers, which will make it difficult for Indian farmers to compete.
The farmers’ organizations have argued that the deal is heavily skewed in favor of American MNCs and will lead to the exploitation of Indian farmers. They have also accused the government of negotiating the deal in secret, without consulting farmers’ organizations or taking their concerns into account.
The nationwide protests on February 12 are expected to be a major show of strength by the farmers’ community, with thousands of farmers from across the country expected to participate. The protests will be held in various cities and towns, including Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai, among others.
The AIKS, which is one of the largest farmers’ organizations in the country, has also come out strongly against the trade deal. The organization has accused the government of “selling out” Indian farmers to American MNCs and has demanded that the deal be scrapped immediately.
The farmers’ organizations have also accused the government of trying to divide the farming community by offering token concessions and sops. However, the organizations have made it clear that they will not be swayed by such tactics and will continue to fight against the trade deal until their demands are met.
The India-US trade deal has also sparked concerns among opposition parties, who have accused the government of compromising the country’s agricultural sovereignty. The opposition parties have demanded that the government come clean on the details of the deal and explain how it will benefit Indian farmers.
As the protests on February 12 approach, the government is facing increasing pressure to address the concerns of farmers’ organizations. The government has so far maintained that the trade deal will benefit Indian farmers, but the farmers’ organizations remain unconvinced.
The nationwide protests on February 12 are expected to be a major test of the government’s resolve to push through the trade deal. The farmers’ organizations have made it clear that they will not back down until their demands are met, and the government will have to navigate a complex web of interests and concerns to find a way out of the crisis.
In conclusion, the India-US trade deal has sparked a major controversy in the country, with farmers’ organizations coming out strongly against it. The nationwide protests on February 12 are expected to be a major show of strength by the farmers’ community, and the government will have to address their concerns if it wants to avoid a major crisis. The fate of the trade deal hangs in the balance, and it remains to be seen how the government will respond to the protests.
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