Jakhar defends India–US trade deal, slams Opposition for misleading farmers
Babushahi Bureau
Chandigarh, February 8, 2026: Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Punjab president Sunil Jakhar on Sunday hit out at opposition parties over the India–US trade agreement, questioning the silence of the Chief Minister and Congress leaders after the draft of the deal came into the public domain.
Addressing a press conference at the party office, Jakhar said that opposition parties had been misleading farmers by claiming that the agreement would harm their interests. “Now that it is clear farmers’ interests are fully protected, why are they not thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi?” he asked.
Jakhar asserted that the Union Government had negotiated the agreement cautiously with the world’s largest economy, ensuring that Indian farmers and Punjab’s agriculture remain fully safeguarded. He said key crops produced in Punjab, including wheat, paddy and maize, have been kept out of the agreement and no import of these crops from the US will take place. He added that the dairy sector has also been completely protected under the deal.
Criticising the Aam Aadmi Party and the Congress, Jakhar said both had failed to play the role of a constructive opposition. He called upon Chief Minister Bhagwant Mann to break his silence and clarify his stand on the agreement.