On December 15, activists from Karnataka Rajya Raita Sangha and Green Brigade protested outside Mysuru MP Yaduveer Krishnadatta Chamaraja Wadiyar’s office. They opposed the Indian government’s plan to sign a free trade deal with the US on farm products. The protesting farmers belong to the ‘Collective Leadership’ faction and held green flags and placards, shouting slogans against the deal. They submitted a memorandum to the MP, highlighting the struggles of Indian farmers such as low crop prices, climate issues, rising cultivation costs, and heavy debt. The memorandum, signed by leaders like Chukki Nanjundaswamy and Honnur Prakash, also noted the high farmer suicide rates reported by the National Crime Records Bureau. The farmers expressed worry over reported plans to allow duty-free or low-duty imports of maize, rice, cotton, soybeans, pulses, dairy products, and chicken from the US. They said maize prices had already dropped due to such news and pulses might follow. The farmers warned that flooding Indian markets with cheap US farm products would damage Indian farmers deeply. They claimed the Union government is giving in to US pressure because American farmers face their own difficulties. The memorandum pointed out that agriculture employs about 46% of India’s population but only 10.4% in the US. The farmers said, “Entering such ill-conceived and logic-defying free trade agreements related to agriculture would completely destroy not only the agriculture sector, but also the employment sector and the overall economy of the country.” They urged MP Yaduveer to speak up in Parliament against the deal and to ensure the government does not sign it, protecting the farming community’s interests.