Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Prakash Reddy on Thursday slammed Congress MPs and the Leader of the Opposition (LOP). Rahul Gandhion his comments on India-US Interim Trade Agreementcalled them a “mischievous statement” and described Gandhi as “mentally a foreigner” and questioned his understanding of Indian culture.
New Delhi, February 11 (ANI): Lok Sabha LOP Rahul Gandhi speaks in the House during the Budget session in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Parliament TV/ANI Video Grab) (Parliament TV)Speaking to ANI, Reddy said, “I don’t understand whether Rahul Gandhi is an Indian or a foreigner. He may be an Indian physically, but mentally he is a foreigner. He has no courtesy towards the Indian people, and he does not understand India and Indian culture.”
Reddy’s comments came in response to Gandhi’s speech in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, where he accused the central government of compromising national interests.
Addressing the Lok Sabha, Gandhi said the government itself recognized that the world was facing a global storm, the era of a single superpower was coming to an end, geopolitical conflicts were intensifying and weaponization of power and money was taking place. Recognizing this reality, he alleged, the government has allowed the US to weaponize energy and financial systems in ways that affect India.
“You yourself admit that we are facing a global storm that the era of a superpower is over, that geopolitical conflicts are intensifying, and that power and money are being weaponized. Yet, despite acknowledging this reality, you have allowed the United States to weaponize power and financial systems in ways that affect us. When America says we cannot buy energy from a viable country, we say we cannot buy oil. Externally that power is being weaponized against us, I say to you of India. Have compromised interests?
More Read
Raising concerns over tariffs, Gandhi said the average tariff has risen from about 3 percent to 18 percent, a 6X increase. At the same time, he claimed that US imports to India are expected to increase from US$ 46 billion to US$ 146 billion.
He termed the situation “absurd” and alleged that India has committed to increasing imports by about $100 billion a year without getting firm commitments in return.
