Goyal calls Rahul immature over textile remarks

Metro India News | MUMBAI

Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Saturday launched a sharp attack on Congress leader Rahul Gandhi, calling him “immature” and accusing him of lacking an understanding of the economy while responding to criticism over India’s textile sector and cotton trade policies.

Speaking to reporters in Mumbai on the Union Budget and the Indo-US trade engagement, Goyal alleged that the Congress was spreading misinformation as it had no constructive agenda against the Narendra Modi-led government. He said the opposition was attempting to mislead farmers with “false and fabricated claims.”

The Mumbai North BJP MP asserted that leaders like Rahul Gandhi were “thousands of miles away from the truth” and would not be able to obstruct Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s development agenda. He claimed that the Congress and its allies, including the TMC, DMK and SP, had been rejected by the people and were now resorting to baseless allegations.

Responding to Rahul Gandhi’s remarks on cotton cultivation and the textile sector in the context of the Indo-US trade deal, Goyal said India’s cotton production capacity and domestic demand were both set to grow. He added that importing raw material for processing and export was a long-standing global trade practice.

Highlighting the strength of the textile sector, the minister said it currently accounts for nearly Rs 3.60 lakh crore in exports and is expected to more than double in the coming years. He claimed that recent free trade agreements would significantly boost the sector, with the US alone importing textile products worth around Rs 9 lakh crore annually.

Goyal noted that reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods had been reduced to 18 per cent from 50 per cent earlier, and about half of India’s exports to the US would now face zero duty. He maintained that India had secured lower tariff rates compared to competitors such as China, Vietnam and Bangladesh.

He also stated that textile exports to markets including the European Union, New Zealand and the UK would benefit from zero-duty access, describing the trade developments as a “game-changer” for India’s growth and cotton farmers.