‘Why silent?’ Kharge targets Modi over alleged disparaging remarks by Trump

Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on 23 April criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi over what he described as the government’s silence on alleged disparaging remarks about India by former US President Donald Trump.

In a post on social media, Kharge claimed that Trump had made comments using “extremely disparaging” language about India and questioned why the Prime Minister had not responded.

“Modi ji remains absolutely mum on these ridiculous utterances,” Kharge said, while also referring to remarks by the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson, who he said had declined to comment further.

Questions on diplomatic response

Kharge asked why the issue was not being raised at the highest diplomatic levels, highlighting the contribution of Indians to the United States.

“Indians have played a vital role in America’s success. What is stopping us to raise this at the highest levels of the American government?” he said.

He further alleged that the government’s approach reflected reluctance to confront the issue publicly.

Criticism over broader India-US ties

The Congress leader also linked the issue to broader concerns in India-US relations, referring to trade negotiations and previous diplomatic developments.

He cited what he termed a “skewed” trade deal framework and referred to past statements attributed to Trump on mediation during Operation Sindoor, as well as comments on BRICS.

Kharge also mentioned US tariff measures, alleging that India’s interests had been compromised in dealings with Washington.

“At every step Modi ji has mortgaged India’s interests,” he said.

Political context

The remarks come amid ongoing election campaigning, with Opposition leaders stepping up criticism of the government on foreign policy and economic issues.

Kharge urged the Prime Minister to respond to what he described as an issue affecting national sentiment.

“I sincerely hope that he gets some time to react to this… indignation of 140 crore Indians,” he said.

There has been no immediate official response from the Prime Minister’s Office or the Ministry of External Affairs addressing Kharge’s remarks.

India and the United States share a strategic partnership across defence, trade and technology, though differences have occasionally emerged on trade policies and geopolitical issues.