VBA to hold protest over Indo-US trade deal in Mumbai on March 2

Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar: Vanchit Bahujan Aghadi (VBA) founder Prakash Ambedkar on Thursday announced a state-level protest against Indo-US trade deal in Mumbai on March 2, urging all other parties to join the agitation. "I have already written a letter to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge and Rahul Gandhi, Leader of Opposition in Lok Sabha, to join the March 2 protest. We have requested them and others, who are against BJP, to send their party workers during the protest," Ambedkar said speaking to the reporters in Chhatrapati Sambhajinagar.The VBA founder alleged that the Indo-US trade deal mentioned that the "India's foreign policy will be aligned with American govt." He said we have already stopped importing oil from Russia. "We had an independent foreign policy. Have we abandoned it now? Are we working according to the interests of America? Govt should clarify," Ambedkar said. He said, "The middle class of this country, non-ruling political parties and social organisations should join hands with us to raise their voice against the trade deal." Ambedkar also claimed that India was purchasing the Rafale fighter jets at a higher price compared to Indonesia, alleging that Centre was under international pressure. He said the next protest should be held either outside the RSS headquarters in Nagpur or in front of the office of the President. "Either of these institutions should order the PM to resign," he said.