New Delhi, Feb 15 (IANS) Scaling up the attack on the Modi government over the India-US trade pact, the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Rahul Gandhi on Sunday posed questions on the contentious deal and demanded direct answers from Prime Minister Narendra Modi on five “simple” questions.

The Congress MP took to his social media handle to flag five pressing issues of the trade pact that demand not just the government’s attention but also clarification.

Reiterating that Indian farmers have been betrayed by the ruling dispensation in the name of the US trade deal, he questioned the government on the pact’s detrimental effects on GM (genetically modified) crops, soya farmers and also accused the Centre of opening the safeguards that the farmers once enjoyed.

“What does importing DDG really mean? Does it mean Indian cattle will be fed distillers’ grain derived from GM American corn? Won’t that effectively integrate our dairy chain with the US agricultural system?” Rahul asked.

His second and third questions raised concerns about soya oil and pulses.

“If we allow imports of GM soya oil, what happens to our soya farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and across the country? How will they survive another price shock?” he asked.

Rahul further asked, “When you say ‘additional products’, what does that include? Does it signal pressure to open up pulses and other sensitive crops to US imports over time?”

“What does removing ‘non-trade barriers’ mean? Will India be pushed to dilute its stand on GM crops, weaken procurement, or undermine MSP and bonuses in the future?” he questioned.

Demanding that farmers must be protected from the impact, Rahul said, “Once this door opens, how do we prevent it from widening every year? Will there be safeguards, or will more crops steadily be put on the table in each negotiation round?”

Repeating his charge of the Modi dispensation giving in to US pressure, he added, “This is not just about today. It is about whether we are giving another country a long-term grip on India’s agricultural system.”

–IANS

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