Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday strongly criticised Leader of the Opposition Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of spreading a “false and fabricated narrative” to mislead farmers over the proposed trade agreement between India and the United States.

Speaking in the Lok Sabha, Goyal alleged that Rahul Gandhi’s recent interactions with farmers were stage-managed and based on a pre-planned script. He claimed that Congress workers were posing as farmer leaders and that the conversations were deliberately designed to spread fear about the trade deal.

The Union Minister asserted that the Modi government has taken all necessary steps to safeguard farmers’ interests and that claims suggesting otherwise were completely baseless. “If farmers are safe, the country will develop,” Goyal said, adding that the government’s actions were being carried out responsibly and transparently.

Farmers’ interests are safe, says Goyal

Highlighting the benefits of the agreement, Goyal stated that the trade deal would support farmers, fishermen, MSMEs, startups, artisans, Vishwakarmas, and the youth. He clarified that no concessions had been granted on sensitive agricultural items such as soybean meal and maize, accusing the opposition of repeatedly spreading misinformation to create panic among farmers.

Addressing concerns over apple imports, the minister said India already imports around 5.5 lakh tonnes of apples annually as domestic production meets only about 80 per cent of demand. He rejected allegations of unrestricted imports, explaining that only a limited quota has been allowed at a minimum import price of ₹80 per kg, along with a duty of ₹25, taking the landed cost to ₹105 per kg—higher than current import prices.

On walnuts, Goyal noted that the United States has been given a small quota of 13,000 metric tonnes against India’s total annual requirement of about 60,000 metric tonnes, a move he said would not harm domestic producers.

Attack on Congress record

Taking aim at the Indian National Congress, Goyal recalled that during the UPA regime India imported nearly $20 billion worth of agricultural products, including dairy items. He pointed out that dairy products have been completely excluded from the current trade discussions with the US.

The minister challenged Rahul Gandhi to explain what he described as Congress’s “deception” of farmers and questioned how long the opposition would continue to circulate what he called fabricated stories.

Earlier, Rahul Gandhi had criticised the proposed trade deal, stating that any agreement that threatens farmers’ livelihoods or undermines food security is anti-farmer. The India–US trade deal is expected to be finalised by the end of March, subject to certain modifications.