During a fiery Lok Sabha speech on the Union Budget, Akhilesh Yadav, Samajwadi Party supremo, eviscerated the government’s handling of the interim India-US trade deal. Calling it a ‘loose arrangement’ rather than a firm commitment, he demanded transparency on its economic ramifications.
The pact, fresh off the press, lowers Indian tariffs to 18 percent on some US imports and eliminates them on select items, as per US disclosures. India’s muted response has intensified scrutiny.
Yadav hammered the timing: ‘Budget first or deal? And why delay for 11 months, hurting our traders?’ He cautioned against FTAs eroding rupee strength and local jobs, questioning BJP’s selective global partnerships.
In a witty jab, he queried the self-reliance paradox: ‘Was ‘Swadeshi’ scrubbed from dictionaries during signing? $500 million unilateral gain—BJP equates 0 with 18?’
Yadav didn’t spare the budget, slamming it for bypassing the poor, Dalits, tribals, and PDA communities. This critique arrives as India balances global trade with domestic revival post-COVID.
Yadav’s onslaught reflects widening divides on policy, with calls for measured steps to safeguard India’s economic sovereignty amid superpower negotiations.