BJP’s US-India deal is conspiracy to destroy Punjab’s farmers & sell India’s agriculture to America: Harpal Singh Cheema

CHANDIGARH(The Uttam Hindu) :

Senior Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema on Thursday addressed a press conference at the party office and strongly criticised the BJP-led Central Government, saying it has hatched a big scheme and conspiracy to destroy Punjab’s farmers and sell India’s agriculture to the USA through a so-called US-India deal.

Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said, “The BJP-led Central Government has prepared a big scheme and conspiracy to destroy Punjab’s farmers and sell India’s agriculture to the USA through this so-called US-India deal.” 

The Finance Minister warned that if cheap American milk powder, cheese, grains and other agricultural products begin entering India at low prices, it will directly crush Punjab’s farmers and farmers across the country. Raising a serious question, he said, “Where will Punjab’s farmers go? Where will the country’s farmers go?”

Minister Harpal Singh Cheema stated that Punjab’s farmer has been feeding the nation for decades and that Punjab has contributed massively to India’s National Food Buffer through wheat and paddy for nearly 50 years, continuing to do so even today. “It is shameful that the same annadata who brought a large-scale food revolution in the country is now being targeted through a deep political and economic conspiracy,” he added.

Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that the BJP, which claims to be a nationalist party and talks about Swadeshi India, has today been completely sold to the USA. He said the BJP’s Central Government has surrendered before America and is now attempting to make India dependent once again.

Referring to a tweet by the US Agriculture Secretary Brooke Rollins, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the truth is now openly visible to the entire world. “The US Agriculture Secretary publicly thanked President Trump and openly celebrated the deal, stating that it would export more American farm products into India’s massive market, lift American prices, pump cash into rural America and strengthen the US economy. This is clear evidence that the deal is not being done for Indian farmers, but for American farmers,” he asserted.

Minister Harpal Singh Cheema questioned why BJP leaders in Punjab are misleading the public by claiming that Punjab will benefit from this deal. Taking direct aim at Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar, he said that Sunil Jakhar is holding press conferences and claiming Punjab will gain, but the BJP has no courage to respond to the US Agriculture Secretary’s tweet. Minister Harpal Singh Cheema asked, “Do you have the courage to quote-tweet this statement and respond to America?”

Minister Harpal Singh Cheema demanded that Sunil Jakhar, BJP working president Ashwini Sharma and BJP MP Ravneet Bittu immediately make the documents of this deal public before the people of Punjab, the farmers of India and the common citizens of the country. He said, “Show the documents. Make them public. These are the documents through which you are trying to destroy the country.”

Highlighting the tariff and tax issues, Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said that earlier, when Indian products used to go to the USA, a tariff of around 50 percent was imposed, but now it has been reduced to 18 percent. “On the other hand, the tariff on products India will import has been reduced to zero. This clearly shows that the BJP, which works for big corporate houses and is run by big corporate families, is now trying to sell India’s farmers to capitalists, and is doing it through the USA,” he added.

Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said the BJP is the enemy of farmers and the enemy of common citizens, and that the party is ruling the country with the support of a handful of families and corporate houses, while attempting to sell the nation.

The Punjab Minister further said that the BJP does not understand the value of India’s freedom because it did not exist during the freedom struggle. “Not only the current leaders, but even their older leadership had no role in the struggle to free the country. The people from Punjab and many other states, including Bengalis and citizens across different regions, crushed British rule and drove the British out to secure India’s independence,” he added.

Minister Harpal Singh Cheema said today the BJP is trying to hand the country over to the USA. Issuing a direct political challenge, he said that any BJP leader, whether from the Punjab unit or the national unit, can come forward for a debate on this issue. “The AAP will expose exactly how the BJP has sold Punjab’s and India’s farmers,” he added.

Minister Harpal Singh Cheema also issued a strong warning to the BJP, saying that the people of Punjab will not tolerate any attack on the dignity and future of the country’s annadata, and that the truth will be taken to every village and every household.