“Modi Damaging the Country’s Reputation,” Alleges AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge

Kalaburagi: Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday attacked Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of weakening India’s foreign policy, and failing to protect farmers from global trade pressures.

Addressing a gathering in Chittapur after laying the foundation stone and inaugurating development works worth Rs 1,069 crore, the Congress president alleged that US president Donald Trump was behaving like a “dictator” while Modi was acting like a “slave”.

“Modi says Trump is his friend and that he speaks with him frequently. But when India buys oil from Russia, Trump threatens to impose taxes. What exactly are they discussing during these conversations?” Kharge asked.

He went a step further, claiming the Prime Minister was reluctant to speak out on some issues due to pressure linked to the controversial “Epstein files”.

Criticising the Centre’s foreign policy, Kharge said India once commanded global respect under the leadership of Jawaharlal Nehru, who championed the Non-Aligned Movement to maintain balance and peace among nations.

“Earlier, India’s foreign policy was respected across the world. Countries in different regions worked with India to promote global peace,” he said, adding that the principles of Mahatma Gandhi were the true path to lasting peace.

Turning to trade and agriculture, Kharge alleged that the US was pressuring India to stop buying crude oil from countries such as Russia and Iran while threatening heavy tariffs.

“They have forced an agreement on us. Crops like toor dal, green gram, urad dal, soybean and maize will be exported from the US to India without tax, while Indian products will face taxes there. This will hurt our farmers,” he said.

Pointing out that nearly 65 per cent of India’s population depends on agriculture compared to only three per cent in the US, Kharge urged the Prime Minister to “protect the self-respect of the country and safeguard farmers”.

The Congress leader also criticised the Bharatiya Janata Party and the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh, alleging that some of their members had worked with the British during the freedom struggle.

“It was Congress volunteers and Sevadal workers who sacrificed their lives and shed blood for the country,” he said, adding that he was not targeting individuals but questioning their ideology.

The Congress leader also referred to the Prime Minister’s earlier statements about protecting the country’s sovereignty. “The Prime Minister once said that if anyone looked at India with ill intent, their eyes would be gouged out. Where is that resolve now?” he asked.

He referred to the attack in the Indian Ocean on an Iranian Navy vessel that had earlier visited Visakhapatnam.