Economic storm coming, where is PM Modi hiding: Rahul on US tariff issue

Ahmedabad, Apr 9 (PTI) Asserting that an "economic storm" is coming, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday slammed Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the imposition of tariffs by the US and questioned his silence on the issue.

Addressing the AICC session on the banks of the Sabarmati river, Gandhi recalled that when Modi went to the US earlier, he had hugged American President Donald Trump.

"This time did you see their photograph hugging each other? Where has it vanished? President Trump, whom Prime Minister Modi calls a friend, ordered him that listen 'we will not hug each other, this time we will impose tarrifs'. He (Modi) could not utter a word. He has disappeared," the Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha said.

So that people's attention is not turned towards the tariff issue, they ran a drama in Parliament for two days, Gandhi said in an apparent reference to the late night sittings in Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha for the passage of the Waqf (Amendment) Act.

"But the truth is an economic storm is going to come. When Covid came, PM Modi asked people to bang utensils, switch on the flashlight of mobile phones. Now an economic storm is coming and crores will suffer losses, where is he, where is he hiding," Gandhi asked during his address at the session.

Referring to Modi's recent meeting with Bangladesh's Chief Adviser Muhammad Yunus, Gandhi said the Bangladeshi leader made adverse comments earlier and then Modi was seen sitting with him.

"He was mum, did not speak a word. Where is the 56-inch chest?" the Congress leader said, taking a swipe at Modi.

Gandhi also recalled that when his grandmother and former prime minister Indira Gandhi was asked whether she leans left or right, she stated that she is the prime minister of India and stands straight.

Gandhi claimed the current prime minister just bows before other foreign leaders.

In the resolution adopted at the AICC session, the Congress said its successive governments enhanced India's global stature and demonstrated leadership on the world stage through a principled and visionary foreign policy.

"Our governments' foreign policy was always centred around protection of India's interests, global balance of power, finding solutions through mutual harmony and dialogue, international co-operation and peaceful resolution of disputes. Sadly, the current regime has compromised India's foreign policy at the altar of 'individual branding' and serving 'vested interests'," the resolution titled 'Nyaypath' said.

The Congress said it remains a strong votary of close ties between India and the United States, but it can never happen at the expense of India's national interests.

"During the Prime Minister's visit to Washington, D.C., we were publicly insulted in PM's presence and our country was labelled as a 'Tariff Abuser'. Indian migrants were treated like animals and deported from the United States in chains and handcuffs. Unfortunately, even the External Affairs Minister justified this inhumane treatment of our migrants by the U.S," the resolution said.

"As on 03 April, 2025, United States has imposed +27% tariff on Indian Goods exported to United States, which will severely impact India's foreign trade. U.S., on the other hand, is pressing for reduction of import duties on American goods, particularly in sectors such as Agriculture & Horticulture, Automobiles, and Pharmaceuticals. This would deal a serious blow not only to Indian farmers but also to our dynamic domestic automobile and pharmaceutical industries," it said.

The Congress called upon the ruling regime to undertake a constructive negotiation with U.S on tariffs by placing our national interests first and after taking into confidence all political parties and stakeholders.

"For the present BJP Government, foreign policy has been reduced to a policy of weak-kneed leadership and helpless submission, which is unacceptable," the resolution said.

The Congress said it believes that India's foreign policy can't be an instrument of divisive politics for the domestic political agenda, as is being done by the BJP government.

"The position in our neighbourhood is indeed worrisome. China has illegally occupied thousands of square kilometres of Indian territory in Eastern Ladakh, yet the current BJP government, founded upon the rhetoric of showing "lal aankh" (red eyes), has utterly failed to restore the status quo ante, as it existed prior to April 2020. The proposed construction of the world's largest dam by China on the Brahmaputra river is an alarming development, particularly for Assam and other northeastern states," the resolution said.

The rise of radical elements in neighbouring Bangladesh is also a matter of serious concern, as it has already created an unsafe environment for religious minorities, including Hindus, Buddhists and Christians, it said The unfolding of the large-scale humanitarian tragedy, kidnappings and consequent bombings & thousands of deaths of innocents in Gaza in the Palestine-lsrael conflict has met with a studied silence from our ruling regime, the party said.

The Congress reaffirmed our policy for a negotiated and peaceful resolution as also for the creation of a separate state of Palestine as per the U.N. Resolution. PTI ASK/SKC ZMN

Source: PTI