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Failure of foreign policy: Trinamool slams PM over Trump's tariffs on India

Failure of foreign policy: Trinamool slams PM over Trump's tariffs on India

India Today07-08-2025
The Trinamool Congress on Thursday launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, blaming the imposition of a 50 per cent tariff by the United States on Indian goods as a failure of India's foreign policy.Responding to questions about the US's move, Trinamool's National General Secretary Abhishek Banerjee said in a dig at PM Modi, 'You should not ask this question to us. Ask this question to those who have captured pictures with Trump. This question should be asked to those who invited Trump to India and those who went to the US to campaign for Trump.'advertisementCalling the tariff a major blow, Banerjee said, 'This 50 percent tariff will have a great effect on our country. This is a diploma failure. India should fight this strongly. Those who want to pressurise India and want to demean us — why and how they got so much power, and how a government who claimed to have a 56-inch chest could not stop this?'
Banerjee's comments came a day after the Trump administration hit India with an additional 25 per cent tariff, with a total levy of 50 per cent, over Russian oil purchases. Trump has accused India of helping Russia through its oil purchases in the Ukraine war, a claim New Delhi has strongly rejected.Banerjee also referred to his recent participation in an all-party delegation to Asian countries, during which, he claimed, there was no condemnation of Pakistan over the April 22 Pahalgam terror attack.'I don't want to say these things but I have gone to all-party meetings to Asian countries. They did not even condemn Pakistan in the Pahalgam attack. Who is responsible for this failure? Who campaigned for Donald Trump ahead of COVID in Gujarat? Who went to Texas to campaign for Trump? BJP workers did yagna for Donald Trump, praying for him. All these things are on social media," Banerjee said.Taking a swipe at the Prime Minister, Banerjee showed an old video clip of Modi's speech on his phone, in which the PM introduced Trump during the 'Howdy Modi' event in Texas in 2019. 'Let me quote him: 'I present my friend, India's friend, Donald Trump,'' Banerjee said, mocking the camaraderie between the two leaders.He further asserted that the responsibility lies with the ruling NDA government, not the Trinamool Congress. 'Prime Minister Modi campaigned for Trump in 2019 in Texas. He is in a better position and far more apprised to be able to speak clearly on this — that what made Trump impose 50 per cent tariff on India. The onus is on him. The onus is on the incumbent NDA and BJP government, not the Trinamool Congress. Mamata did not invite Trump and Mamata never went campaigning for Trump.'The Trinamool leader also criticised Trump for his recent remarks on the Indian economy, saying, 'No one has the power to kill the Indian economy. It is surviving on the love and affection of the Indian people. But I must say, the economy is in the ICU - and now, it's in a worse state.'- EndsTune InMust Watch
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