Congress Leader Venugopal Condemns Indo-US Trade Deal and BJP's Controversial Video
AICC general secretary K C Venugopal launched a scathing attack on the Indo-US trade agreement on Sunday, vowing that the Congress party will strongly oppose it in Parliament on Monday. Speaking in Guruvayur, Venugopal also criticized the BJP for circulating a video that he described as promoting the targeted 'point-blank' murder of minorities, labeling it a "call for genocide."
Venugopal's Stance on the Trade Deal
Venugopal, who was in Guruvayur to inaugurate the website of AICC secretary T N Prathapan and release a book authored by him, responded to questions from TOI by asserting that the Indo-US trade deal is detrimental to India's agricultural sector. He argued that it would lead to liberal imports of agricultural produce from the US, which he termed "suicidal" for the country's farmers and economy.
"The entire nation has been kept in the dark before the signing of this agreement," Venugopal stated. "All conventional processes of international negotiations have been bypassed in a shocking manner. One morning, our Prime Minister simply telephoned the US President, and the US President announced that the deal was finalized. He then disclosed the details, including directives for India to purchase oil from Venezuela instead of Russia. It is evident that India was forced to sign this deal under duress, as if at gunpoint."
Condemnation of BJP's Video Content
Regarding the controversial video suggesting violence against minorities, Venugopal expressed grave concern. "This is nothing short of a call for genocide, a dream that this fascist regime has harbored for decades," he declared. "This is not mere troll content to be ignored; it is poison disseminated from the highest levels, and there must be severe consequences for such actions."
Venugopal later emphasized on social media platform X that while there is little hope for Prime Minister Narendra Modi to condemn or act against this, the judiciary must intervene decisively. "There should be no leniency shown in this case," he wrote, urging legal action to address what he perceives as a serious threat to social harmony.
Political Dynamics in Kerala
Venugopal also addressed the political landscape in Kerala, referencing statements by left-leaning activist writer K Satchidanandan about the dangers of prolonged power for a single party. He predicted that Left sympathizers would vote for the United Democratic Front (UDF) in the upcoming assembly elections to prevent a situation similar to that in West Bengal from occurring in Kerala.
He accused the CPM-led government in Kerala of employing 'diversionary tactics' in the Sabarimala gold heist case by implicating Congress leaders such as Adoor Prakash and Anto Antony. "Everyone in the state knows who is truly behind the gold theft at Sabarimala," Venugopal asserted. "No one will succeed in obstructing the process to bring the real culprits to justice."
Venugopal framed the upcoming elections as a critical battle to remove a government he claims has been damaging Kerala and oppressing its people for a decade. "These kinds of tactics will undoubtedly fail to weaken the people's resolve to oust such a despised administration," he concluded, highlighting the determination of the opposition to effect change in the state.
