Farmer March: Govt vs Opposition as PM Modi Assures Farmers’ Interests Will Be Protected in Every FTA

Farmers heading for a one-day panchayat have accused authorities of blocking their route and trying to provoke unrest. A protesting farmer claimed the group was travelling peacefully by buses, cars and trains to demand cancellation of a proposed U.S. trade deal, and said no tractor rally had been planned. Congress MP Renuka Chowdhury also expressed disappointment over the handling of the situation. Meanwhile, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had assured NDA leaders that farmers’ interests would remain the top priority in every free trade agreement and that no deal would be allowed to harm them.