Punjab BJP chief Sunil Jakhar on Wednesday asserted that the India-US interim trade agreement will not have any adverse impact on farmers, and will instead benefit industry and trade while creating new employment opportunities for the youth.
He invited farmer organisations for dialogue, stating that if they see any shortcomings in the trade agreement, they should choose the path of discussion rather than agitation. The BJP State president emphasised that crops grown in Punjab, such as wheat, paddy, maize, and sugarcane, have been kept outside the scope of the agreement and will not affect farmers in any way. Jakhar said that every farmer acknowledges that agriculture is not a highly profitable occupation. While it sustains families, it does not generate enough income to fulfil their children’s aspirations, he said.
“Every family wants their children to find employment beyond farming. However, this will only be possible if new industries are established and trade expands,” he noted. Jakhar said this deal is a step in that direction, as it will give India’s industry and trade access to the $30 trillion US economy. As industry and trade grow, new employment opportunities will be created for the youth, said Jakhar, who was accompanied by the BJP’s Mohali district unit president Sanjiv Vashisht. The BJP president appealed to farmer groups to clearly state what impact they believe the deal will have on Punjab’s farmers.
He invited them for discussions, assuring that if any farmer organisation feels the agreement will affect Punjab’s farmers, they should come forward for talks, and all their concerns will be addressed.
Jakhar said Prime Minister Narendra Modi is firmly committed to protecting farmers’ interests, and the same resolve has ensured that Punjab farmers’ interests are safeguarded in this agreement. He urged farmer groups to press for the implementation of an agricultural policy in Punjab, which farmers had protested for a year ago, but has still not been implemented.
