Rahul's queries deserve honest response from PM: Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah

Bengaluru: Chief Minister Siddaramaiah said on Sunday that the concerns raised by Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on the Indo-US trade deal affecting farmers deserves a “clear and honest” response from PM Modi. 

"If this deal allows unchecked GM imports, weakens safeguards, or gradually opens more crops without protection, it will directly hurt farmers across the country - including in Karnataka," Siddaramaiah said on X (formerly Twitter).

"PM @narendramodi, do not sell India’s interests. Do not trade away our farmers for political compulsions. Do not surrender to foreign pressure. Our farmers are not bargaining chips. They are the lifeline of this nation," Siddaramaiah added.

The chief minister was referring to a tweet by Rahul, where the latter said: "We are witnessing a betrayal of India’s farmers in the name of a US trade deal."

Rahul sought to know what "non-trade barriers" meant, and wondered what would happen to soya farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan and across the country if imports of GM soya oil were allowed. 

"Farmers deserve clarity. This is not just about today. It is about whether we are giving another country a long-term grip on India’s agricultural system," the leader of the opposition added.