Terming the India-US interim trade deal “one-sided”, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had “sold the interests and pride of India”, surrendered energy security and compromised farmers’ interests under a chokehold from Washington.In tweets posted after attacking the PM in the Lok Sabha while participating in the debate on the Union Budget, Rahul said the US would now watch Indian oil purchases.“Who gets to decide from whom does India buy its oil — India or the US? Who gave the US the power to halt beneficial crude purchases by India?” Rahul said on X accusing the PM of trading Indian interests. He said the future of 140 crore Indians “had been mortgaged” in the deal.“No PM surrenders unless there is pressure and chokehold. India realises this is an unequal deal, one of compromise,” Rahul said on X after levelling the same charges inside the Lok Sabha where the Chair expunged the adverse comments by a written late evening order.Inside the Lok Sabha, allegations of the Leader of Opposition triggered sharp reactions from the treasury benches with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju objecting to Rahul’s language and rebutting to his remarks against the PM. Rijiju demanded that the remarks be expunged (which they were later).Rahul however repeated the same charges outside through X posts. He said no Prime Minister, including Narendra Modi, would strike such a deal unless there was undue pressure on him.In the House, Rahul began his address with an analogy of how in martial arts after securing a grip, the opponent exercises chokehold leading the rival to announce surrender via a tap. India’s strength, Rahul said, was massive data generated by 1.4 billion people which needed to be protected.He alleged that the government had given up control over digital trade rules, removed need for data localisation, allowed free flow of Indian data to the US, limited digital taxes, and removed the requirement to disclose source codes. He said if the INDIA bloc had negotiated with US President Donald Trump, it would have insisted that Indian data remain under Indian control and that energy security be protected.On tariffs, he claimed that average rates had moved from around 3 per cent earlier to about 18 per cent now, while American goods were entering on favourable terms now from 16 per cent to zero. Citing the textile sector, Rahul said he had visited a factory in Gurugram, Haryana, where owners told him they were finished because of tariff changes.He referred to a 20-year tax holiday and objected to US exports to India rising from $46 billion to $146 billion, questioning the absence of matching commitments from Washington. India, he said, should negotiate as an equal and not allow itself to be treated on a par with Pakistan. On agriculture, he said maize, soybean and cotton farmers among others would be hit as Indian markets were opened to mechanised American farm products. He described it as unprecedented and said no previous Prime Minister had taken such steps. “You have allowed the US to weaponise our energy and finance against us,” he said.Rijiju objected to Rahul’s language and utterances which were later removed from the record. But Rahul took to X to ask if “no shame was felt in trading Indian interests.” He named Union minister Hardeep Puri and an industrialist for alleged links with Epstein, the chair repeatedly intervened directing him not to take names or level unverified charges. BJP MP Ravi Shankar Prasad raised procedural objections, asking whether advance notice had been given for naming the PM and ministers.Rijiju said serious charges were being made without proof and must be authenticated. Rahul said he was prepared to authenticate his statements. The Chair again directed him to confine to the Budget. In closing remarks, Rahul said India was heading into troubled times and that farmers, energy resources and even the armed forces had been compromised.