Punjab : Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Punjab chief spokesperson and MLA Kuldeep Dhaliwal on Wednesday sharply criticized Punjab BJP President Sunil Jakhar for supporting the proposed India–US trade agreement, calling it the “biggest betrayal” of the nation’s farmers. He challenged Jakhar to make the full draft of the agreement public instead of defending it through media statements.
Speaking at a press conference alongside AAP leader Prabhvir Brar, Kuldeep Dhaliwal claimed that under the Trump administration, tariffs on Indian goods had been raised to 18%, while the Modi government had allegedly reduced duties on American goods to zero. He questioned how such an arrangement could be described as fair, arguing that it would allow American farmers to export their produce to India without any tax burden, whereas Indian farmers would face higher tariffs in the US market.
ਵਿਧਾਇਕ ਅਤੇ ਮੁੱਖ ਬੁਲਾਰਾ ‘ਆਪ’ ਪੰਜਾਬ, ਕੁਲਦੀਪ ਸਿੰਘ ਧਾਲੀਵਾਲ ਦੀ ਪ੍ਰੈੱਸ ਕਾਨਫ਼ਰੰਸ, ਅੰਮ੍ਰਿਤਸਰ ਤੋਂ Live https://t.co/dEbwKYks8R
— AAP Punjab (@AAPPunjab) February 11, 2026
Kuldeep Dhaliwal Claims American Imports May Hurt Farmers in Punjab, UP, Maharashtra
Kuldeep Dhaliwal warned that zero-duty imports of American agricultural products, including red sorghum, could severely impact farmers cultivating maize, millets and sorghum in states like Punjab, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra. He further alleged that apple, almond and walnut growers in Jammu & Kashmir and Himachal Pradesh would also suffer due to unrestricted imports of American produce.
Targeting Sunil Jakhar, Dhaliwal compared his support for the trade deal to the Shiromani Akali Dal’s earlier backing of the now-repealed farm laws. He cautioned Jakhar against aligning too closely with the BJP’s policies, suggesting that political consequences could follow. Kuldeep Dhaliwal also remarked that Jakhar had earlier been associated with the Congress leadership and was now defending the BJP-led government’s stance.
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The AAP leader claimed that details of the trade deal had surfaced primarily through statements and social media posts by former US President Donald Trump, alleging that the Prime Minister had neither discussed the matter in Parliament nor consulted the public. He accused the Centre of compromising national interests.
Kuldeep Dhaliwal asserted that the issue concerns not only farmers but the entire country. He announced that he would continue to speak out against what he described as misleading claims and would expose what he termed the BJP’s anti-farmer approach.