Indian Opposition slams Modi govt over Trump’s 25pc tariff on imports
New Delhi: Indian Opposition parties have launched a scathing attack on the BJP-led Indian government after Donald Trump imposed a 25-per cent tariff and penalties on Indian imports, saying Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-touted personal rapport with the US president has failed to deliver any tangible benefits for India.
According to Kashmir Media Service, Congress General Secretary Jairam Ramesh took to X to express his criticism. “President Trump has slapped a tariff of 25 per cent plus penalty on imports from India. All that ‘taarif’ between him and ‘Howdy Modi’ has meant little.”
“Modi thought that if he kept quiet on the insults that the US President has hurled on India — the 30 claims of stopping Op Sindoor, the special lunch for the Pakistan Army Chief whose inflammatory remarks provided the immediate backdrop to the brutal Pahalgam attack, and 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,” he added.
Taking a jibe at Modi, Trinamool Congress’s (TMC) Rajya Sabha leader Derek O’Brien posted a video clip of Modi praising Trump and chanting “Abki Baar Trump Sarkar” during a previous public event. “Now what will the ‘56-inch chest’ say about this brutal 25% Trump tariff? Remember this…” O’Brien wrote on X.
Talking to reporters in the Parliament complex, Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) MP Manoj Jha also expressed disappointment. “We are not very happy that it has happened under the rule of Prime Minister Modi”, adding the government must acknowledge its shortcomings and take the nation into confidence.”
Communist Party of India (CPI) MP P Sandosh Kumar described Trump’s decision as “another insult to India”. “While the trade-agreement discussions are going on, on one side, Trump is insulting Indian interests,” he told reporters in the Parliament complex.
Congress leader Manickam Tagore squarely blamed the Modi government for the situation. “This is the failure of the Modi government. The external affairs minister has failed.” “‘Howdy Modi’, ‘Abki Baar Trump Sarkar’ — there were such slogans. Wherever Modi was going, he wanted to see how many awards he collects…. India’s interest was compromised and Modi’s PR was a priority. With that approach, India has become weak,” he told reporters in the Parliament complex.
CPI General Secretary D Raja criticized what he called the BJP’s “deafening silence” over Trump’s repeated claims of mediating between India and Pakistan using trade pressure. He said Trump has claimed at least 30 times that he mediated a ceasefire between India and Pakistan using trade as leverage. “This is a blatant assertion of arm-twisting India’s foreign policy, yet the BJP remains silent,” he said in a post on X. “What is the Modi government’s response? Not a word. No protest. No rebuttal. Not even the courage to condemn Trump in Parliament, neither by the PM nor a single Cabinet Minister,” the Left leader said in a post on X.
