Only PM Modi and Nirmala Sitharaman don’t know that Indian economy is dead, says Rahul Gandhi

Asked about Trump’s claim, Gandhi said, “He is right, everybody knows this, except the Prime Minister (Narendra Modi) and the Finance Minister (Nirmala Sitharaman). Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact.”

The BJP flayed Gandhi’s statement, calling it a “shameful” insult to the aspirations, achievements, and well-being of the people of the country.

On the India-US trade deal being negotiated, Gandhi said it will happen and President Trump will define how it will happen. “Modi will do what Trump tells him to do,” he said.

“The External Affairs Minister (S Jaishankar) gives a speech that we have a genius foreign policy. On one hand, the US is abusing you and on the other hand China is after you. Thirdly, when you send delegations across the globe then no country condemns Pakistan. How are they running the country? They don’t know how to run the country,” Gandhi said.

Talking about PM Modi’s speech in Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Gandhi said the PM mentioned neither Trump nor China’s name. “He (Modi) did not say that no country condemned Pakistan. Trump is having lunch with the Pakistan military chief who was behind the Pahalgam attack, and they are saying there has been a big success. What success is this?”

“Trump has said 30 times that I got the ceasefire done (between India and Pakistan). Trump said five planes of India were downed, he is now saying I will put a 25% tariff. Did you ask why Modi is not able to answer, what is the reason? Who has the control?” said Gandhi.

The Congress leader also said the BJP has destroyed the Indian economy in order to help billionaire Gautam Adani. “They are running this country into the ground. The Prime Minister works only for one person: Adani. All small businesses have been wiped out,” he said.

After his remarks, Gandhi, in a post on X, said, “The Indian Economy is dead. Modi killed it. 1.Adani-Modi partnership. 2. Demonetisation and a flawed GST 3. Failed ‘Assemble in India’ 4. MSMEs wiped out.5. Farmers crushed.” He also said Modi destroyed the future of India’s youth because there are no jobs.

Reacting to Gandhi’s statement, BJP MP Anurag Thakur said making anti-India statements has become his “mentality”. “Whenever anyone makes an anti-India statement in the world, he grabs it,” the former Union minister said.

BJP’s IT department head Amit Malviya said in a post on X: “Rahul Gandhi has hit a new low by echoing ‘dead economy’ jibe — a shameful insult to the aspirations, achievements, and well-being of the Indian people.” “But let’s be honest — the only thing truly ‘dead’ here is Rahul Gandhi’s own political credibility and legacy,” he said.

TMC attack

The Trinamool Congress too launched a scathing attack on the Central government over the US’s tariff decision. “Let’s connect the dots: India has been hit with 25 per cent tariffs and penalties by the US, worse than what China, Japan, or Vietnam face. The Rupee is at a record low,” the party posted on X.

“This is the price of reducing foreign policy to PR stunts and vanity photo-ops. Global image: curated. Diplomatic negotiations: ignored. India: left to bear the brunt,” it further wrote in a follow-up post.

Hollow claims: Jairam

Congress MP and communication in-charge Jairam Ramesh said Commerce Minister Piyush Goyal’s statement in Parliament was a “non-statement on President Trump and the US tariff issue”. “All he engaged in was totally misplaced self-congratulation. The real issues thrown up by the failure to clinch a trade deal with the US, the imposition of a 25% tariff on Indian imports by the US, and additional penalties for engaging in trade with Russia and Iran were hardly touched upon. The concerns and sentiments of Indian businesses were simply not addressed,” said Ramesh.

The Congress leader said it is “abundantly clear” that India faces new and huge challenges with the US now. “Prime Minister Modi had banked on his much-vaunted personal friendship with President Trump. This has proved to be completely hollow,” he said.

(With PTI inputs)