After the US imposed a $100,000 annual fee for H-1B visas for highly skilled workers, the Congress on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, accusing him of being a “weak PM” whose preference for “strategic silence” and “loud optics” has become a liability for India.
Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav slammed the Union Government over the hike in the H1-B visa fee and said India’s foreign policy has totally failed.
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also said that foreign policy is about safeguarding India’s national interests and keeping “India First” and not holding “events”. Highlighting reports that H-1B Visa hike would hit Indians hardest, Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi said in a post on X, “I repeat, India has a weak PM.”
Noting that Indian national interests are supreme, Congress chief Kharge took a swipe at the PM, saying, “Bear hugs, hollow slogans, concerts and getting people to chant ‘Modi, Modi’ is not foreign policy!”.
“Foreign policy is about safeguarding our national interests; keeping India First, and steering friendships with wisdom and balance. It cannot be reduced to superficial bravado that risks undermining our long-term standing,” Kharge said in a post on X. The Congress chief said, “Narendra Modi ji, Indians are pained by the return gifts you have received after the birthday call.
“Birthday Return Gifts from your ‘Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar’ Government! -- USD 100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas hits Indian tech workers the hardest, 70 per cent of H-1B visa holders are Indians and 50 per cent tariff already imposed, a loss of `2.17 Lakh crore to India is already estimated in 10 sectors alone,” Kharge said. He also cited the HIRE Act, which he claimed was targeting Indian outsourcing. He also called the lifting of exemption to the Chabahar port a “loss to our strategic interests”.
“Even a call for the EU to impose a 100 per cent tariff on Indian goods!
Congress leader Pawan Khera posted on X, “8 years later, Rahul Gandhi is vindicated yet again.” He also tagged a post of Gandhi in 2017 with media reports that the H-1B visa issue did not figure in the talks between US President Donald Trump and PM Modi. “He called it out back in 2017 and nothing has changed. India is still stuck with a weak Prime Minister,” Khera said while attacking the Prime Minister.
Speaking to reporters at the party office in Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav said, “Your foreign policy has failed in the foreign countries). Economic policies have failed. You have failed in making relationships.”
“Try to remember, he (apparently referring to Adityanath) does not want anyone to go abroad, neither for studies nor for work, but only to operate guns. (People) can go to Russia, join the army (there). Go to Israel, and fight along with its army. Those with H-1B visas should not go for good jobs,” he said. The former UP Chief Minister said Indians will only get visa relief once the Narendra Modi-led Central Government is out of power. Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Aaditya Thackeray targeted the Centre, saying its “stunning silence” means “absolute darkness” for those who depend on it.
The revised H1B visa fee would hit not just lakhs of working professionals from India, but also the companies that hire them, he said, adding that the government should speak to the country’s citizens as well as the US administration to resolve the crisis.
“The problem isn’t only the onslaught, the bigger problem is the stunning silence of the Union Government,” Thackeray said in a post on X. Had ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’, ‘Make in India’ and other such slogans been actually implemented, it would not have been so chaotic, he said.
