‘Playing Dangerous Game': Rijiju Slams Rahul Gandhi Over Trump's ‘Dead Economy' Endorsement
Rahul Gandhi termed Donald Trump's description of Indian economy "dead" as right, and said that everyone "except PM Modi and Nirmala Sitharaman" knows this.
Rahul Gandhi's endorsement of Donald Trump's 'dead economy" remark against India has drawn sharp criticism from the government, which accused the Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition of 'speaking against the nation".
Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday alleged that the Congress leader was 'playing a dangerous game" that would harm the country through his endorsement of such views, which were also rejected by many in the Congress party itself.
'Rahul Gandhi speaks against the nation. Many are saying he is playing a dangerous game to harm the country. His anti-India language is being opposed by many prominent people in the Opposition too. They also say you cannot describe India as a dead economy," Rijiju said.
On Thursday, Rahul Gandhi seconded Trump's criticism of the Indian economy, keeping it parallel to the Russian economy, and said that everyone 'except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister" knows about it.
No, not at all. That is not the case, and we all know it."
A day earlier, several Congress and Opposition leaders did not back Rahul Gandhi's endorsement of Trump's views and said that the 'Indian economy is not dead".
view comments
First Published:
Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Economic Times
23 minutes ago
- Economic Times
Trump's tactics a negotiation play, not a policy shift: Richard Redoglia
"You may see IOC and other state-owned refiners scale back their Russian imports. But the bigger picture is that Trump is juggling many priorities at once. In this case, I believe he's applying pressure on Russia through India," says Richard Redoglia, CEO, Matrix Global Holdings. ADVERTISEMENT What is your own sense? While we do not have any benchmark for where this is ultimately headed, India's response so far has been very pragmatic, one must say. Richard Redoglia: Very pragmatic indeed. India needs to import oil—that's its necessity. Its job is to ensure a stable energy supply for its people. The largest refinery, Reliance, is a privately held company. So, it will import oil from any source it can. Russian oil has been available at a discount, and the specific type of oil it imports is important to its remember, Trump is negotiating—he's always dealing, always in motion. What your previous two guests said is quite interesting: first, the stock market has closed at record highs; second, the EU felt taken to the cleaners on the last deal. So, we're in a situation where I believe this is more about negotiation—using India, and I mean this respectfully, as a pawn in Trump's broader efforts to end the war in Ukraine. That's what we're seeing here. You may see IOC and other state-owned refiners scale back their Russian imports. But the bigger picture is that Trump is juggling many priorities at once. In this case, I believe he's applying pressure on Russia through India. Given the growing threats from Donald Trump, if they actually materialize, do you believe global investors might start repricing geopolitical risk in India and other emerging markets? And how could that impact India's overall trade with the West? Richard Redoglia: A very good point was made earlier. I think India will stand its ground for the time being. I don't see any immediate change. Again, I'll emphasize that Trump is negotiating in real time. He tweets in real time.I believe—unless I'm mistaken—I saw a report that IOC announced it would reduce Russian oil imports temporarily. Remember, oil shipments from Russia take about 35 days to arrive, whereas oil from the Middle East takes just 10 to 15 days. There's also excess capacity in the Middle East, which is a key factor here. ADVERTISEMENT So, the issue isn't just about Russian oil. The global oil market is dealing with overcapacity, which puts downward pressure on prices. When you talk about repricing risk and evaluating India, I'd say—perhaps I'm wrong—but this feels like a flash in the pan. It's likely to pass in a few recently, Iran was attacked. That's already in the rearview mirror. Oil was at $78 then, and now it's trading around $65–66. Markets recover quickly. They are efficient at repricing, especially in commodities. The fact that the U.S. stock market is at all-time highs and the oil market appears to be in balance suggests that what we're witnessing now is simply a negotiation. That's the lens through which we should view it. ADVERTISEMENT Having lived in New York for 20 years while Donald Trump was a real estate developer, I've learned to take what he says with a grain of salt. And increasingly, the market is doing the same. The bigger question is: where do you see the dollar heading? Because that, in itself, could dictate global capital flows. Do you think portfolios are now easing out of U.S. exposure? Richard Redoglia: That's a fair point. But again, when stock markets are hitting record highs, how much does the dollar really matter? The dollar is likely to weaken. The latest employment report showed some softness, which suggests we may see a rate cut in September, and possibly another by year-end. ADVERTISEMENT So yes, the dollar may face pressure. But isn't this part of a broader picture? Isn't this a larger re-evaluation of how the market perceives everything?Trump's goal—at least what he says—is free trade. He's putting tariffs in place to draw people into the U.S. market, but the broader aim seems to be enhancing the ability for global transactions. That's the underlying intent. ADVERTISEMENT As for the dollar—and this might sound controversial—I'd say it doesn't matter much right now. Oil prices are in balance. What matters more is that Trump appears to be negotiating for peace in various parts of the world. That, in my view, should be the key focus for the markets. (You can now subscribe to our ETMarkets WhatsApp channel)
Mint
26 minutes ago
- Mint
PM Narendra Modi to address crucial NDA meeting ahead of V-P polls, amid Parliament logjam today
Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) parliamentary party meeting today. The ruling alliance MPs' get-together is being held after a considerable gap, news agency PTI said on Monday. The NDA meeting, which Narendra Modi will chair, will take place a couple of days before nominations for the vice president's election begin on 7 August. The NDA must announce its candidate, whose election will be a certainty due to the alliance's majority in the electoral college, by 21 August, the last date of nomination filing and the Monsoon Session of Parliament. The meeting also comes in the middle of a session which has been all but a washout so far, except for a two-day discussion on the Pahalgam attack and Operation Sindoor, due to a united Opposition's ceaseless protest against the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) of electoral rolls in Bihar by the Election Commission. During the meeting, PM Narendra Modi is expected to speak on a host of current issues as the Opposition has been raising the heat over the poll body's alleged partisan conduct favouring the government, and the Pahalgam terror attack and Operation Sindoor. Narendra Modi is also likely to be felicitated by the parliamentary party over his government's military response to the terror strike, the news agency said. The electoral college for the vice president poll includes MPs of the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha, and its current strength is 782. If the Opposition also names a candidate, a distinct possibility, then the poll is scheduled to be held on 9 September. Sources said Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and a few BJP national general secretaries are likely to be coordinating with allies for the vice presidential poll. Since the 2024 Lok Sabha elections, when the BJP lost its majority but comfortably crossed the halfway mark with allies, the sessional meeting of the party's MPs was expanded to include its allies. PM Modi had addressed the first such meeting on July 2. However, no meeting has been held in the last few sessions. Before the last national elections, he addressed the weekly meetings of the BJP parliamentary party, which has now expanded to include party allies such as the TDP, JD(U), and LJP (Ram Vilas). The meeting is attended by MPs of the ruling alliance, and PM Modi often discusses a wide range of political and governance issues and, at times, touches on the government's agenda in Parliament.
The Wire
26 minutes ago
- The Wire
Over 130 Indian MLAs & MLCs from 24 States, 21 Parties to Attend Global NCSL Summit in Boston, Facilitated by NLC Bharat 2025
Pune, Maharashtra, India (NewsVoir) In a significant step toward strengthening global democratic engagement, a landmark delegation of over 130 Indian legislators will participate in the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL) Summit in Boston, USA, from August 4 to 6, 2025. The initiative for Bharatiya delegation of legislators is being facilitated by National Legislators' Conference Bharat (NLC Bharat), a pioneering platform dedicated to empowering Indian legislators and fostering national and international legislative collaboration, cooperation and dialogue for sharing knowledge and best practices. The delegation—comprising Members of Legislative Assemblies (MLAs) and Members of Legislative Councils (MLCs) from over 24 Indian states and representing a diverse spectrum of 21 political parties—embodies the rich and inclusive tapestry of Bharat's democratic leadership. This historic journey began in 2024, when a pioneering group of 50 legislators participated in the Legislative Summit held in Louisville, USA—an initiative unprecedented in independent Bharat and undertaken neither by the government nor any other institution. Now, in a landmark moment, the delegation has grown to an unprecedented 130 legislators—marking the largest-ever Indian legislative presence at any global conference. This first-of-its-kind endeavour aims to foster cross-border learning, enhance legislative capacity, and provide exposure to international best practices in governance and lawmaking. Rooted in the success of the inaugural NLC Bharat 2023 in Mumbai, this international visit is part of a long-term vision to create non-partisan, knowledge-driven platforms for legislators. At the NCSL Summit, legislators from Bharat will participate alongside over 2,000 U.S. legislators and more than 7000 legislators from different parts of the world in sessions addressing AI in governance, digital democracy, cybersecurity, voter confidence, and policy innovation. Dr. Rahul Karad, Founder, NLC Bharat, said, 'This is not just a delegation. It is a living expression of Bharat's democratic strength and unity in diversity — never before has such a large and representative group of Honourable MLAs and MLCs come together to engage the world on such a scale. What makes this moment even more special is the spirit behind it — the desire to learn, to grow, and to lead with wisdom and vision. When our legislators step into this international arena, they carry not only their personal aspirations, but the hopes of a billion citizens and the essence of an ancient civilization. Our goal is simple yet profound — to build meaningful bridges across democracies, to learn from each other, and to kindle conversations that transcend borders and strengthen governance.' The itinerary includes academic orientation programs on U.S. legislative systems, visits to local institutions and state assemblies, and meetings with Indian-origin leaders across politics, academia, and industry. These engagements aim to foster meaningful dialogue between the world's two largest democracies and deepen ties with the Indian diaspora. The Boston delegation is part of a larger vision to create a series of international exposure programs for Indian legislators, with future visits being planned to countries across Asia, Europe, and the Americas. Through this structured engagement model, NLC Bharat aspires to build a stronger, more informed, and globally connected legislative ecosystem—one that enhances India's democratic credentials and positions Bharat as a leader in democratic innovation on the global stage. (Disclaimer: The above press release comes to you under an arrangement with Newsvoir and PTI takes no editorial responsibility for the same.). PTI PWR This is an auto-published feed from PTI with no editorial input from The Wire.
