Rahul Gandhi And Kharge To Lead Farmers’ Protest In Bhopal Against India-US Trade Deal

Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi will visit Bhopal on Tuesday to lead a major protest against the interim India-US trade framework, which the party claims will adversely impact Indian farmers.

The protest, organised as a Kisan Sammelan, aims to mobilise farmers against what Congress describes as the agreement’s anti-farmer provisions. Madhya Pradesh Congress President Jitu Patwari announced the visit, stating, “On February 24, 2026, in Bhopal, Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge ji and Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi will raise their voice for the rights and privileges of farmers against the injustice being done to them in the India-US trade deal.”

Speaking to the media, Patwari accused the government of succumbing to US pressure and said the agreement has already pushed down prices of key crops such as soybean, cotton and maize. He termed it a ‘compromise deal’ imposed ‘with a sword on their neck,’ asserting that farmers in Madhya Pradesh growing soybean, maize, and cotton, along with families across the state, are directly affected.

The February 24 programme marks the launch of a targeted campaign in states considered vulnerable, including Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu & Kashmir and Bihar.

Massive Kisan Mahapanchayat Planned

The ‘Kisan Mahapanchayat’ will be held at Atal Path in the Jawahr Chowk area of Bhopal. Madhya Pradesh Congress media in-charge and former minister Mukesh Nayak said over one lakh farmers from across the state are expected to attend.

He said the event is scheduled to begin around 2 pm with the arrival of Kharge and Gandhi. Two large domes and a massive stage have been set up, accommodating nearly 250 leaders and office-bearers.

Nayak said, “Bhopal’s Kisan Mahapanchayat will be very crucial for the Congress workers in the state, and it will set the movement for a change in Madhya Pradesh. The people of Madhya Pradesh are fed up with the corruption and anarchy of the BJP for over 20 years.”

Congress MLA Umang Singhar said soybean farmers may face lower prices due to import pressures, while cotton growers in the Malwa and Nimar regions could suffer losses.

He said, “Kisan Mahapanchayat is being organised in support of farmers and to raise awareness about what the Congress has termed the anti-farmer implications of the trade deal.”

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