Nearly a century ago, Indian soil echoed ‘Simon Go Back’ to protest the Simon Commission in 1928 as the British government appointed the commission to review the Government of India Act 1919 and propose constitutional reforms and it consisted entirely of British members, with no Indian representation. The exclusion of Indians from decisions about their own political future and aspirations for self-governance was seen as an insult to the Indians and signalled that the British government did not trust or value Indian opinions in shaping constitutional reforms.
This fuelled resentment among Indian political leaders and the public.
Now Trump’s new Tariff Policy, thrust without considering the Indian common people’s viewpoint and ground conditions, also seems to have ignited the ground line. The farmers of India have gird up the loin to protest the visit of US Vice-president J.D Vance. The Indian Soil once again will echo the slogan ‘Vance Go Back! India Is Not For Sale”.
Prof (Dr.) S N Tripathy, Former Professor of Economics, Gokhale Institute of Politics and Economics, Pune, says- “President Donald Trump keeps the world on edge with daily blockbuster announcements, thrusting global trade into chaos. His unpredictable tariff policies have sown turmoil and uncertainty among nations and financial markets, leaving leaders pondering.”
Who Will Protest Vance’s Visit and Why?
All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), the largest umbrella of Indian farmers, calls upon all its units across India to hold mass demonstrations and effigy burning with the slogan “Vance Go Back! India Is Not For Sale” in villages and district headquarters on 21st April 2025 when the US Vice President J.D Vance will arrive in India even as negotiations are on for a bilateral trade deal.
AIKS alleges that the Indian Prime Minister has capitulated to the dictates of US President Donald Trump and is going ahead with plans to ease tariff and non-tariff barriers for US products including farm products. Howard Lutnick, the US Commerce Secretary asserted that India should open its agriculture market and agriculture cannot be ‘off the table’ in the negotiations for the Bilateral Trade Agreement.
The Farmers Union fears that the Bilateral Trade Agreement under discussion will be the death knell of dairy farmers as the US Dairy exports to India will make a quantum jump if tariffs and market restrictions are lifted. The US Wheat Associates claim that India has high levels of domestic support and trade that is distorting high tariffs; ironically, this is while the peasantry in India is on the struggle path for remunerative Minimum Support Price with legally guaranteed procurement. Similarly, in the case of Maize, there is a push to remove India’s import prohibition on genetically modified maize as well as on ethanol with the expectation of windfall gains for the USA. Soybean, almond, pistachio, walnut, apple and horticultural crops are all up for negotiation at the behest of US-based Commodity Cartels. Even as Indian cotton farmers are already in an acute crisis and committing suicide. And, as there is a continuous steady decline in annual cotton production– from 37 million bales (170 kg each) in 2017-18 to 34.7 million bales in 2022-23 and an estimated further decline to 31.6 million bales in 2023-24– the heightened negotiations for withdrawing tariffs is extremely insensitive.
AIKS argues that a Mission 500 aiming to double total trade to $500 billion by 2030 is in the offing, according to news reports. The ongoing trade negotiation is a deliberate move so that cheaper cotton, soybean, maize, apple etc. from the USA can be dumped in India, literally swamping the market. This will lead to a price crash for Indian farmers. All negotiations are being done without taking State Governments or the Parliament into confidence. Such Agreements also do not assure the implementation of International Labour Standards.
Quoting the stand of other countries, AIKS states that while countries like China, Canada, Mexico etc., made a resolute push-back against Trump’s tariffs and rallied to defend their economic interests, India has chosen to capitulate and surrender its national interests. Notably, Canada and Mexico with more than 70% of exports to the USA did not blink an eye before hitting back, while India with nearly 18% of exports to the USA is refusing to stand up against the strong-arm tactics of the USA. The Farmers’ Union warns that apart from agriculture, the interests of the MSMEs across sectors like generic pharmaceuticals to auto parts and millions of workers across these sectors are also going to be adversely hit.
A statement released on behalf of AIKS by Ashok Dhawale, President and Vijoo Krishnan, the General Secretary observe, “The Vice President of USA J.D.Vance’s visit to India is part of putting pressure upon the State of India and the corporate-led ruling classes to surrender the national interests to facilitate windfall profiteering to the multinational companies. In this context, AIKS will put up the valiant face of resistance and call upon the peasantry and agricultural workers to unite and give the call Vance Go Back! India is Not For Sale!”
Dr. Inderjit Singh, National Vice-President of the AIKS, shares with ‘The Ground Post’ that AIKS calls upon all units to organise broad-based protests against the BJP-led NDA Government’s total capitulation before US imperialism.
Divulging the action plan, Dr Singh says, “Preparations are being made to organise meetings at village and other levels. District committees are being asked to chalk out concrete activities according to the scope and potential. Other organisations will also be contacted for joint actions wherever possible.”
Singh further adds that some talking points will be made available to the activists pertaining to the dangers of the tariff reduction on agriculture imports.
He concludes that it is highly objectionable that the Centre is keeping everything opaque and not revealing the contours of the bilateral trade with the US.
What effect the AIKS movement will have on Vance’s visit to India and the bilateral Tariff Agreement is in the womb of time, but one thing is certain- “Whenever a spark ignites, it will sooner or later result in flames of fire.”
