New Delhi: America’s imposition of 27 percent tariffs will devastate India’s economy, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi said in the Lok Sabha Thursday, urging the NDA government to spell out what it intends to do about it.
He also attacked the Centre over foreign policy, saying that while China has taken over 4,000 square kilometres of Indian territory, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri was cutting a cake with the Chinese ambassador. “20 jawan shaheed hue the. Unki shahdat ki celebration ho rahi hai cake kaat kar.”
On the tariffs “our ally has suddenly decided to impose”, the Congress MP said, “Our auto industry, pharmaceutical industry, and agriculture are all in the line.”
“We would like an answer from the Government of India: what are you doing about our land, and what are you going to do about this tariff that our ally has imposed on us?” Gandhi asked.
While US President Donald Trump announced the imposition of 26 percent reciprocal tariffs on India, the actual figure is 27 percent, according to the White House annexe document.
The Congress leader also referred to former prime minister and his grandmother Indira Gandhi, saying: “Somebody once asked India Gandhi ji in the matter of foreign policy, do you lean left or do you lean right? And Indira Gandhi ji answered, I don’t lean left or right, I stand straight. I am Indian and I stand straight.”
The BJP and the RSS, Gandhi said, have a different philosophy. “When asked, do you lean right or left, they say no no no we bow our heads right in front of every foreigner that comes. This is something that is in their culture and history and we know that.”
He further emphasised that while the Congress is not against “normalcy” in bilateral ties, before normalcy is restored, there should be status quo. “Before that we should get our land back. It has also come to my notice that the Prime Minister and the President have written to the Chinese. We are not finding out from our own people. It is the Chinese ambassador who is telling the people of India that the PM of India and President of India have written.”
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)
Also Read: ‘Modi a friend, but India not treating us right’—What Trump said unveiling new tariff regime
