New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader and former Delhi CM, Arvind Kejriwal, recently launched a scathing attack on the Modi government, accusing it of betraying Indian farmers through its handling of cotton import duties. In a press conference, Kejriwal highlighted the government’s decision to temporarily remove the 11 per cent import duty on American cotton from August 19th to September 30th. He argued that this decision, made seemingly without significant consultation with farmers, will have devastating consequences for the domestic cotton market.
Kejriwal’s central claim revolves around the timing of the duty removal. “Indian farmers, having already invested heavily in cultivating cotton during July, will bring their harvest to market in October. By then, the cheaper American cotton will have already saturated the market, leaving Indian farmers with little opportunity to sell their produce at a fair price,” he said.
Kejriwal emphasised the vulnerability of Indian farmers, many of whom are already heavily indebted. The removal of the import duty, he claimed, will further exacerbate this, potentially forcing many into financial ruin and, potentially, suicide. He cited the high rate of farmer suicides in regions like Vidarbha, Maharashtra, as a chilling example of the vulnerability of these communities.
Flooding of Cheap American cotton in Indian markets to affect cotton farmers
Kejriwal pointed to the significantly lower price of American cotton, which is approximately Rs 15-20/kg, as a major contributing factor to the impending crisis. He contrasted the Modi government’s actions with the responses of other nations to similar trade pressures from the Trump administration. The European Union, Canada, and China, he noted, all retaliated against similar tariffs imposed by the United States. Kejriwal questioned why India, a nation of 1.4 billion people, did not adopt a similar robust defensive strategy. He suggested the decision may have been influenced by other factors, including speculation about potential legal issues involving the Adani group in the United States.
मोदी सरकार ने किसानों के साथ किया बहुत बड़ा धोखा। https://t.co/x0Rj6La5gP
— Arvind Kejriwal (@ArvindKejriwal) August 28, 2025
AAP rally scheduled for September 7 in Gujarat
Kejriwal concluded by demanding the immediate reinstatement of the 11 per cent import duty on American cotton. He also announced a large AAP rally scheduled for September 7th in Chotila, Surendranagar district, Gujarat, a major cotton-producing region, to unite farmers in protest against the government’s policy. He urged other political parties and farmers’ organisations to join in the call for action to protect the livelihoods of India’s cotton farmers.