NEW DELHI: Congress minister Rahul Gandhi Saturday accused the govt of “cheating cotton farmers and textile exporters in the country through the India-US interim trade deal” and alleged that the agreement “is likely to inflict deep damage on both sectors”.“18% tariff vs 0% — let me explain how the PM 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,” he said on X.“Bangladesh is being given zero % tariff benefit on garment exports to US — the only condition is that they import American cotton,” he said.“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 Modi govt was: ‘If we also want the same benefit, we will have to import cotton from America’,” Gandhi said.“Why was this fact hidden from the country till now? 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?” he asked.“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,” Gandhi claimed.Highlighting the importance of textile industry and cotton farming, he said that “attacking these sectors means pushing millions of families into the pit of unemployment and economic crisis.”He further said, “A visionary govt 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…”
