Samajwadi Party (SP) chief Akhilesh Yadav on Monday criticised the BJP-led central government over the proposed trade deal with the United States, alleging that it amounts to “handing over” India’s market and abandoning the spirit of the ‘Make in India’ initiative.
Yadav accused the Centre of avoiding core economic issues and instead focusing on ideological debates, referring to recent remarks about conferring the Bharat Ratna on Veer Savarkar. His comments came a day after RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat said awarding the honour to Savarkar would “enhance the prestige” of the award.
“The BJP doesn’t want to debate fundamental issues in Parliament. They have given a $500 billion market to America by pushing the Make in India initiative backwards,” the former Uttar Pradesh chief minister said. “This is not the time to debate Veer Savarkar. If you do that, many pages will be turned.”
Questioning the government’s priorities, Yadav also took aim at the Union Budget and agricultural imports. “Was the budget made for America or for India? The Centre put up millet advertisements at every airport, and yet you are importing it from abroad,” he said.
He further criticised the reported import of animal feed, claiming it would harm domestic research and rural livelihoods. Referring to the Grassland and Fodder Research Institute in Jhansi, Yadav said its work to improve milk production and quality would be undermined by such imports.
“You are importing animal feed, thereby ruining this effort,” he said, adding that the impact would fall on backward classes and Dalits involved in dairy farming.
“No member of the BJP produces milk; it’s all done by the backward classes and Dalits. BJP members are big landlords, which is why they first gave the market to China and now they have given it to America,” Yadav alleged.
His remarks come after India and the United States announced a framework for an interim agreement on reciprocal, mutually beneficial trade, reaffirming their commitment to a broader Bilateral Trade Agreement launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump on February 13, 2025.
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