Punjab BJP president Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday invited farmer bodies for a discussions on the India-US trade deal, asserting that it fully safeguarded their interests.Reacting to it, ruling AAP challenged Jakhar’s claim, asking him to impress upon the BJP leadership and the Centre to make the complete provisions of the pact public.However, Jakhar claimed that key crops such as wheat, rice, maize and sugarcane had been “explicitly kept outside the scope of the agreement, ensuring no adverse impact from potential US imports”.Speaking to the media, Jakhar said rather than resorting to protests, farmer groups should opt for a dialogue to raise their concerns.“If anyone has doubts, let us sit and talk first. We will address every concern,” he said. He described the trade deal as a positive step towards expanding industry and trade, providing Indian businesses access to the massive US economy, valued at around USD 30 trillion.The BJP leader appealed to farmer unions to clearly specify any perceived negative impact on Punjab farmers, assuring them of open talks.In a sharp response, AAP’s Punjab media cell in-charge Baltej Pannu said Jakhar should impress on the BJP top leadership to make the full text of the agreement public. Pannu said the only public information so far had come from social media posts by US President Donald Trump.“On what basis Jakhar assuring farmers when no official copy or detailed terms have been released by the Centre?” he asked.Punjab AAP’s chief spokesperson Kuldeep Singh Dhaliwaltermed the agreement the biggest “betrayal” of the country’s farmers. Dhaliwal said the Trump administration had kept tariff on Indian goods at 18 per cent, whereas the Narendra Modi-led Centre “completely bowed down” and reduced taxes on American goods to zero.AAP also announced its support to the Bharat bandh call given by trade unions and farmer organisations for February 12.
