Gandhinagar: Union home minister Amit Shah on Sunday accused the Congress and its leader Rahul Gandhi of “spreading lies” and misleading farmers over India’s trade deals with the US, UK and the European Union, asserting the govt fully has protected the country’s agriculture and dairy sectors. He termed as “laughable” the Opposition’s contentions that the trade agreements will harm the interests of Indian farmers.“I feel like laughing when Congress’s ‘Shahzada’ Rahul Gandhi stands in Parliament and talks about protecting farmers. The Congress has a long history of misleading the country, and now they are spreading lies about trade deals,” Shah said at an event in Gandhinagar to launch India’s first Central Bank Digital Currency (CBDC)-based public distribution system.“I want to assure the farmers, cattle-rearers and fishermen of this country that in every trade deal signed with the EU, England and America, Prime Minister Narendra Modi safeguarded your interests completely. There is no need to worry,” he said.Reacting to the Congress’ criticism that the agreements would destroy India’s dairy sector, Shah said, “Rahul Gandhi is spreading a lie that PM Modi finished India’s dairy sector by signing these deals. We are the people who expanded the dairy sector, not weakened it. In all the agreements, full protection was given to the dairy sector,” the Union home and cooperation minister said.He challenged Gandhi to debate the subject publicly, stating, “Rahul Gandhi ji, decide any platform. Even the president of the BJP Yuva Morcha can come and debate with you on who harmed farmers and who worked for their welfare.”Defending the trade deals, Shah said, “Through these agreements, our agricultural produce and fishermen’s products will get access to world markets. At the same time, farmers’ interests were protected. The BJP and PM Modi can never compromise with farmers’ interests.”
