Responding to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States (U.S.), All India Congress Committee (AICC) president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge questioned why Mr. Modi did not object to the U.S. deportation of Indians in a cargo flight. He also added that Mr. Modi’s visit would not help India much.
“Mr. Modi was not invited, indeed. External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar went there and managed to get an invitation to Mr. Modi. Mr. Modi himself said that U.S. President Donald Trump was his old friend. He also added that their friendship would continue to help India. If he had been on such good terms with the U.S. President, Mr. Modi should have told the President not to send illegal Indian immigrants on cargo flights. He should have told Mr. Trump to send the Indians in a passenger flight or wait for an Indian passenger flight to carry them back home,” Mr. Kharge said during his brief interaction with media persons at his residence in Kalaburagi on Wednesday (February 12, 2025).
Questioning Mr. Modi over his claims of friendship with Mr. Trump, the AICC president said that PM Modi’s personal friend might not be India’s friend.
“Friendship and knowing each other and mutual acquaintance are common things. But the question is whether Mr. Modi’s friend is also India’s friend. Mr. Modi always goes a step ahead claiming such things and he has also had a habit of telling lies. There will, therefore, be no favourable outcome from the Mr. Modi’s U.S. visit. The U.S. has already threatened to raise custom duties on imports. Mr. Modi’s friend is threatening us right from the beginning. How can we expect anything good from him for India? It would have been a different matter if he had treated the Indian citizens in the U.S. well. The U.S. hired Indian engineers and doctors whenever they wanted and now it is imposing restrictions on them,” he said.
When asked about the Karnataka’s Home Minister and a Dalit leader G. Parameshwara’s recent meeting with him, Mr. Kharge said that it was very much common for a leader to meet the AICC president of his own State.
“I am AICC President. Is it a big deal for a leader to meet the AICC president form his State? Since I am from Karnataka, many leaders from the State call me directly and easily fix an appointment to meet me. I cannot say ‘no’. Everybody from Karnataka comes and meets me. You should not spread rumours on leaders like G. Parameshwar, D.K. Shivakumar, Satish Jarkiholi meeting me and Chief Minister Siddaramaiah talking to me over the phone and disturb the government. Media creates confusion and makes leaders confused,” he said.
Published - February 12, 2025 12:54 pm IST
