At AICC, Rahul attacks Modi over tariffs by US

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi launched a frontal attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the US tariffs, alleging the PM was submissive in his dealings with other countries and claiming that an economic storm will hit India.

On the day the 26% reciprocal tariff imposed by the US on Indian imports came into effect, Gandhi, addressing a packed house at the AICC session on Wednesday said: “Earlier when Modi went to the US, he hugged the President (Trump). This time, there were no such photos. The US President said, this time new tariff will be imposed. He (PM) didn’t utter a single word.”

Gandhi said that to divert attention from the US tariffs, announced on April 2, the government “organised a drama for two days in Parliament”, referring to the debate and the passage of the Waqf law.

He also referred to Modi’s recent meeting with Bangladesh’s interim leader Muhammad Yunus and suggested that the Indian Prime Minister hadn’t been tough with the latter –– the change of regime in Dhaka has been accompanied by attacks on minorities, and Bangladesh has sought to get closer to China.

To be sure, Gandhi’s comments came a day after India withdrew a vital transhipment permission for Bangladesh to export cargo through Indian ports and airports.

Gandhi criticised the Waqf law and said the Congress respects “all religions and communities”, adding that the Rashtriya Swayamseval Sangh’s mouthpiece Organizer said that Christian properties should be targeted next. The opposition parties, including the Congress, have sought to portray the Waqf amendment law as a sort of land grab.

And Gandhi also pitched for a caste census, claiming that if it came to power the Congress would break the 50% threshold on reservation to ensure a higher quota for people from scheduled castes, scheduled tribes and other backward classes.

“Modi speaks 24 hours for backwards, Dalits and Vanvasi (tribals) but when it comes to their share and participation, the BJP becomes silent. Wherever Dalits, OBCs, Adivasis used to get job, he is closing down by privatizing. Earlier, people could join the army. Now that system is gone. The government says if you are Agniveer, you will not get pension or martyr status.” Repeating a charge he has levelled before, he alleged that all this was being done to benefit “Adani and Ambani”.

The AICC, in its resolution, spoke of nationalism and said that for the Congress, this is an idea “that binds people together.” It added that the party’s ’ “commitment to Secularism is derived from this affirmation and is inspired by the age-old traditions of India, that is Bharat”.

The resolution also targetted the BJP and its ideological parent, the RSS.“Ironically, the very organizations that stoutly opposed the ‘Freedom Movement’, especially the Quit India Movement now claim the contractual rights to issue fake certificates of nationalism. The pseudo-nationalism of the BJP- RSS is nothing but sheer opportunism for power. Their goal is not our unifying nationalism, but a Machiavellian quest for exploitative power.”

The AICC resolution also accused the Narendra Modi government of compromising “India’s foreign policy at the altar of “individual branding” and serving “vested interests”. It added that the party finds the situation in the neighbourhood “worrisome” and noted that “we (India) were publicly insulted in PM’s presence and our country was labelled as a “tariff abuser”, a reference to US President Trump’s description of India.

Gandhi announced that the District Congress Committees (DCCs) of the party will be the foundation of the organization and they will get more power and responsibility. Congress general secretary (organisation) KC Venugopal announced that DCCs in Gujarat will be formed by April 15 and the ones in Rajasthan by April 20.