Punjab: AAP holds protest against India-US trade deal

Punjab's ruling party AAP on Thursday held a protest at many places in the state against the India-US trade deal, alleging it will prove to be ''fatal'' for Indian farmers and traders. AAP workers also extended support to the nationwide strike call given by a joint forum of central trade unions against the Centre's labour reforms and economic policies. During the protest, AAP leaders and workers held placards with slogans written against the India-US trade agreement. The party workers accused the Centre of compromising with the nation's interests under pressure from the United States and demanded that the deal be immediately cancelled. AAP's farmers wing president Mohinder Singh Sidhu said this agreement will ''break the backbone'' of India's agricultural system. ''Under this deal, the United States has been allowed to sell dairy and other agricultural products in Indian markets without any tax. This will make American products available in Indian markets at very cheap prices, and the business of our local farmers and dairy operators will come to a complete standstill,'' he claimed. AAP's trade wing general secretary Ranjit Pal Singh said this decision of the Central government is an attack on ''our annadata''. On one hand, there will be no tax on American products, while on the other hand, Indian traders will have to pay up to 18 per cent tax in the United States, he said. Another AAP leader said this agreement is a step towards ''economic slavery''. ''The Central government has handed over the country's economy to foreign companies. This will cause economic losses not only to farmers but to every citizen of the country. We will go among the people and expose the Centre's anti-people policy,'' he said.