Congress mocks PM Modi as Donald Trump dumps 25% tariff on India

NEW DELHI: In the wake of the US announcing a 25% tariff on India, Congress on Wednesday said PM Narendra Modi tolerated US President Donald Trump's "repeated insults" to India in the hope of a special treatment for the country, and should now stand up to the US like Indira Gandhi did.

Congress spokesperson Jairam Ramesh mocked that friendship with "Howdy Modi" has meant little for the country. "Modi thought if he kept quiet on the insults that the US President has hurled on India - the 30 claims of stopping Opeartion Sindoor, the special lunch for the Pakistan army chief whose inflammatory remarks provided the immediate backdrop to the brutal Pahalgam terror attacks, and the US support for financial packages to Pakistan from the IMF and the World Bank - India would get special treatment at the hands of President Trump. Clearly that has not happened," Ramesh said.

A day after Rahul Gandhi challenged Modi to call Trump "a liar" in Lok Sabha, the leader of opposition said the PM is "refusing to unequivocally" deny Trump's claims on "ceasefire" because of the fear that it would provoke the American leader to put out the whole truth in the public.

"If the PM says it (that Trump is lying), then he (Trump) will lay bare the truth, so that is why the PM is not able to say anything," Rahul had said. The LoP said Trump is building pressure for the trade deal and "you see what kind of trade deal happens".

Congress MP C Kiran Kumar Reddy said Modi claims that Trump is his best friend, but the US President's agenda was clear that he wanted to impose tariffs on India. He demanded that the govt negotiate a trade deal with the US quickly as it will affect exports and the economy.