‘100 per cent protection for farmers’: Amit Shah defends FTAs during election campaign amid unrest

Puducherry: Addressing a Bharatiya Janata Party public meeting ahead of elections in Karaikal in the Union Territory of Puducherry, Union Home Minister Amit Shah paid tribute to the 40 CRPF personnel killed in the Pulwama terror attack on February 14, 2019.

“On 14 February 2019, our 40 CRPF jawans were martyred in Pulwama. I wholeheartedly want to pay tribute to those who sacrificed their lives for the country,” Shah said.

He alleged that during the tenure of the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA), terrorist attacks occurred without strong retaliation. In contrast, he credited Prime Minister Narendra Modi with establishing a “new tradition” of response, referring to the 2019 Balakot airstrikes carried out after the Pulwama attack.

The Balakot airstrike was conducted by the Indian Air Force targeting what the government described as terrorist camps inside Pakistan. Pakistan disputed aspects of India’s claims, and tensions between the two countries escalated briefly following the operation.

Rally objectives and political messaging

Shah said the Karaikal rally had two objectives: presenting the report card of what he termed the “double-engine government” at the Centre and in Puducherry, and criticising the Congress, UPA and the opposition INDIA bloc.

He began his speech by paying respects to Puducherry’s cultural heritage and apologised for not speaking in Tamil.

Shah formally launched the BJP’s election campaign in Karaikal ahead of the upcoming Assembly polls in the Union Territory.

Shah said that the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government in Puducherry, led locally by Chief Minister N Rangaswamy, had achieved three goals over the past five years: curbing corruption, ensuring political stability and strengthening the Union Territory’s autonomy.

He alleged that the previous Congress-led government had misused Puducherry’s administration, a claim the Congress has previously denied in similar political exchanges.

Remarks on trade agreements and Rahul Gandhi

In a separate address at the rally, Shah accused senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of misleading farmers and fishermen regarding free trade agreements (FTAs), including discussions around a potential Indo-US trade deal.

Shah said the interests of farmers and fishermen were “100 per cent protected” under the current government’s trade negotiations. He also alleged that farmers’ interests had been compromised during the UPA government led by former Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

There has been ongoing political debate over the impact of trade agreements on agricultural and fishing communities, with opposition parties raising concerns over market access, import competition and livelihood security. Shah expressed confidence that the BJP-led NDA would return to power at the Centre in 2029 under Modi’s leadership.

The rally in Karaikal forms part of the BJP’s broader campaign strategy in Puducherry as parties position themselves ahead of Assembly elections.