Jaipur (Rajasthan) [India], February 15 : Congress leader Pawan Khera on Sunday reiterated Rahul Gandhi's allegations that the Narendra Modi government was "misleading the country" over tariff provisions in the India-US interim trade agreement and its impact on the textile industry, while stating that the Leader of Opposition (LoP) Lok Sabha has found a cure for the government's "disease of lying".
Speaking to ANI, he questioned the central government's clarity on the issue, alleging that the United States has offered Bangladesh zero per cent tariff on cotton imports if it purchases the same from the US. He claimed that a similar position had been communicated to Union Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal, stating that India would face zero per cent tariff if it buys cotton from the US.
"The question is very clear: America has directly told Bangladesh in its deal that if Bangladesh buys cotton from America, it will have to pay 0% tariff, and if it buys from India, it will have to pay a very high tariff. Bangladesh has also announced that it will no longer buy cotton from India. The same thing America has told Union Minister Piyush Goyal: if your textile industry buys cotton from America, give 0% tariff, and if not, give 18% tariff. So where is the confusion? The days of their disease of lying are now over; Rahul Gandhi has found the cure for it," Khera said.
This comes after Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his government of misleading the country over tariff provisions in the India-US interim trade agreement, alleging that the deal would adversely impact India's cotton farmers and textile exporters.
Gandhi said that while Indian garments face an 18 per cent tariff in the United States, Bangladesh is being given a zero per cent tariff benefit on garment exports on the condition that it imports US cotton.
Questioning the policy framework, he alleged that importing US cotton would harm domestic farmers, while not importing it would harm the textile industry. He further claimed that Bangladesh was signalling a possible reduction or halt in cotton imports from India, which, he said, could worsen the situation for Indian producers.
In a post on X, the Congress MP wrote, "18% Tariff vs 0% -- Let me explain how the expert liar Prime Minister and his cabinet are spreading confusion on this issue. And how they are cheating India's cotton farmers and textile exporters through the India-US trade deal. Bangladesh is being given 0% tariff benefit on garment exports to the US -- the only condition is that they import American cotton. After the announcement of 18% tariff on Indian garments, when I raised the question in Parliament about the special concession being given to Bangladesh, the reply from a minister of the Modi government was: "If we also want the same benefit, we will have to import cotton from America." Why was this fact hidden from the country till now?"
He said that the agreement would push millions towards unemployment and economic distress.
He also criticised the government's handling of the negotiations, stating that a deal in the national interest should have safeguarded both cotton farmers and textile exporters.
"And what kind of policy is this? Is this really any kind of choice -- or is it a trap designed to push us into a "well in front, ditch behind" situation? If we import American cotton, our own farmers will be ruined. If we don't import it, our textile industry will lag behind and get destroyed. And now Bangladesh is also giving signals that it may reduce or even stop importing cotton from India," the post read.
"The textile industry and cotton farming are the backbone of livelihood in India. Crores of people's daily bread depend on these very sectors. Attacking these sectors means pushing millions of families into the pit of unemployment and economic crisis. A visionary government that thinks in the national interest would have negotiated a deal that protects and ensures the prosperity of both cotton farmers and textile exporters. But exactly the opposite has happened -- Narendra "Surrender" Modi and his ministers have made an agreement that is likely to inflict deep damage on both sectors," the post further read.
Meanwhile, BJP MP Nishikant Dubey strongly criticised Congress leader's video statement regarding the India-US interim trade agreement, calling him a "mahamurkh" LoP and defending the Centre's approach to safeguarding farmers and boosting exports.
"I have never seen such a 'mahamurkh' LoP in this country. To protect cotton farmers, for the last 8 years, PM Modi has put in place 11% import duty. After the farmers are safeguarded, how the textile sector is to be freed and made competitive because we are competing with Vietnam - incentive is being given for this," Dubey told ANI.