The Congress party’s Jammu and Kashmir unit on Monday accused the administration of arresting several of its leaders and restricting the movement of others in a bid to prevent planned protests against the India-US trade deal.
The party claimed the measures were aimed at blocking marches opposing the agreement, which it said would severely harm the agricultural sector, particularly in Jammu and Kashmir.
In a statement, the Baramulla District Congress Committee alleged that its president, Iqbal, was detained by police just before he was due to lead a protest march. It further claimed that district presidents in other parts of the Union Territory were barred by authorities from moving freely.
The Congress stated that its district units across Jammu and Kashmir had organised district-wise protests throughout the Valley on March 9 to oppose the India-US trade deal.
Several political leaders in Jammu and Kashmir have voiced strong reservations about the agreement, warning that zero tariffs on US imports of apples and dry fruits would deal a devastating blow to the region’s agri-dependent economy and horticulture sector.
While the Union government has maintained that farmers’ rights are fully protected under the deal, farmers across the country have expressed growing concerns over the potential impact of zero-tariff US imports on domestic agriculture.
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