Thiruvananthapuram, March 7: Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of “succumbing” to pressure from former US President Donald Trump, alleging that recent commitments made to the United States had compromised India’s farmers, energy independence, and data sovereignty.
Speaking at the concluding function of the statewide yatra led by Kerala Opposition Leader V. D. Satheesan, Gandhi said the Prime Minister had effectively opened key sectors of the Indian economy to American interests.
He said the consequences of such decisions would be deeply felt in India’s agrarian sector. “No Prime Minister before Narendra Modi opened India’s agriculture to the United States. Large, mechanised American corporations will now compete with our farmers, small traders, and local businesses. The result will be devastating for the agrarian economy,” he alleged. Gandhi also criticised commitments in the energy sector, claiming that India had effectively tied its oil purchases to US approval. “Imagine a country as powerful as India having to seek permission before buying oil from Russia. That is what Narendra Modi has agreed to,” he said. The Congress leader further raised concerns about data sovereignty, describing the data generated by India’s 1.4 billion people as one of the country’s most valuable assets in the era of artificial intelligence. “Every piece of medical data, travel data, and consumer data generated by our people is a national resource. Yet the Prime Minister has opened the door for American companies to access this enormous data pool,” he said. Gandhi alleged that India had also committed to importing goods worth billions of dollars from the US under the agreement. “No Prime Minister of India would have signed such a deal unless there was extraordinary pressure,” he said. The Congress leader claimed that Modi had effectively placed India in a position of economic dependence. “You can see videos where Donald Trump openly threatens Narendra Modi, saying he can destroy his career. The reality today is that Modi has succumbed to Trump,” he alleged. Gandhi described Kerala as a “global idea”, noting the millions of Malayalis living abroad, particularly in the Gulf region, whose remittances support the State’s economy. He also referred to Indian cricketer Sanju Samson from Thiruvananthapuram as an example of Kerala’s global presence. Warning that the world was entering an unstable phase amid tensions between the United States and Iran, Gandhi said India must act cautiously to protect its people and national interests. –IANS sg/dan
