Workers under the ‘Desh Bachao Morcha’ take out a motorcycle rally against the proposed India-U.S. trade deal and Free Trade Agreements (FTAs), while heading to the Deputy Commissioner’s office to submit a memorandum, in Amritsar, Punjab, on July 15, 2026.
| Photo Credit: PTI
Farmers under the banner of the ‘Desh Bachao Morcha’ on Wednesday (July 15, 2026) held a motorcycle rally in Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh to demonstrate against the proposed India-U.S. trade deal, which they said would adversely impact not just farmers but all sections of society.
Farmers associated with ‘Desh Bachao Morcha’, an umbrella body of farmer unions from different States, said that the deal is not limited merely to the import and export of a few products. Instead, it may cover several crucial sectors, including agriculture, dairy, industry, digital trade, services, intellectual property rights, energy, investment, and market access.
The complete text of the agreement has not yet been made public, leading to widespread concerns, farmer leader and coordinator of the ‘Desh Bachao Morcha’, Sarwan Singh Pandher, said. “The United States has long been demanding greater access to India’s agriculture and dairy sectors. Any reduction in import duties on agricultural and dairy products could adversely affect Indian farmers, dairy producers and small industries,” Mr. Pandher said.
“We urge the Central government to prioritise the interests of farmers, workers, small traders, small industries and India’s economic and food sovereignty, and refrain from implementing any agreement that goes against the interests of the people,” he said.
In Punjab, the Kisan Mazdoor Morcha, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (Non-Political), the Azad Kisan Morcha, the Bharatiya Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Organisation, and the Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) (Boka Singh Mansa) participated in motorcycle rallies across the State, according to Mr. Pandher. In Haryana, the BKU (Chaduni), Kisan Mazdoor Sangharsh Morcha Haryana, BKU Shaheed Bhagat Singh, and other organisations took part in the protests. In Uttar Pradesh, the ‘MSP (Minimum Support Price) Dilao Morcha’ held marches, while similar events were held in Uttarakhand as well. In Himachal Pradesh, 27 farmers’ organisations jointly organised marches, Mr. Pandher said.
“If our concerns continue to be ignored and the agreement is pushed forward, the nationwide movement will be intensified. As part of this campaign, we will hold ‘maha rally’ in New Delhi on July 21,” the farmer leader said.
Published – July 16, 2026 03:00 am IST
