Battered by Trump onslaught, Modi trying to portray himself as farmers' champion: Congress
After US President Donald Trump doubled trade tariffs on India to 50 per cent over its crude oil imports from Russia, Modi on Thursday said India will never compromise on the interests of its farmers and that he was prepared to bear a significant personal cost if necessary.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said there was a time five years ago when the PM mocked protesting farmers as 'andolanjeevi' in Parliament.
"Over 700 farmers were martyred in the agitation against the three black anti-farmer laws and the PM had no word expressing pain or regret or sympathy," Ramesh said on X.
Farmers' organisations continue to demand a legal guarantee for minimum support price (MSP) set on the Swaminathan formula of the comprehensive cost of cultivation plus 50 per cent and meaningful debt relief, he said.
The PM is totally silent on these demands, which were voiced even by the former vice president of India, Ramesh said in an apparent reference to Jagdeep Dhankhar.
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