Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday (February 14, 2026) accused the government of cheating cotton farmers and textile exporters in the country over the India-U.S. interim trade deal and said the agreement is likely to inflict deep damage on both sectors.

In a post on X, he said the government has neither protected the interests of cotton farmers nor that of textile exporters as a “visionary government” would have negotiated a deal that protected both and ensured prosperity for both the sectors.

“18% tariff vs 0% — let me explain how the Prime Minister and his Cabinet are spreading confusion on this issue. And how they are cheating India’s cotton farmers and textile exporters through the India-U.S. trade deal,” he said in his post.

Mr. Gandhi said Bangladesh is being given benefit of zero tariff on garment exports to the U.S. — the only condition is that they import American cotton.

“After the announcement of 18% tariff on Indian garments, when I raised the question in Parliament about the special concession being given to Bangladesh, the reply from a Minister of the Modi government was: ‘If we also want the same benefit, we will have to import cotton from America’. Why was this fact hidden from the country till now? And what kind of policy is this? Is this really any kind of choice — or is it a trap designed to push us into a ‘well in front, ditch behind’ situation,” he asked.

The Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha said: “If we import American cotton, our own farmers will be ruined. If we don’t import it, our textile industry will lag behind and get destroyed.” And now, he claimed, Bangladesh is also giving signals that it may reduce or even stop importing cotton from India.

Backbone of livelihood

The textile industry and cotton farming are the backbone of livelihood in India, he noted, adding that crores of people’s daily bread depend on these very sectors. Attacking these sectors means pushing millions of families into the pit of unemployment and economic crisis, Mr. Gandhi claimed.

“A visionary government that thinks in the national interest would have negotiated a deal that protects and ensures the prosperity of both cotton farmers and textile exporters. But exactly the opposite has happened — Narendra ‘Surrender’ Modi and his Ministers have made an agreement that is likely to inflict deep damage on both sectors,” he said in his post.