'Dost dost na raha': Cong takes dig at PM Modi after Trump's fresh threat

The Congress on Tuesday took a swipe at the government over US President Donald Trump's fresh trade threat against India with the iconic Mukesh song 'Dost dost na raha', and claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi's "huglomacy" has "completely collapsed".

Congress MP and general-secretary (communications) Jairam Ramesh also slammed as "meek" the Ministry of External Affairs' statement on the "unjustified and unreasonable" targeting of New Delhi for its procurement of Russian crude oil. Ramesh also said it is the prime minister who should speak up on this issue.

The Opposition party's attack came after Trump on Monday said he would "substantially" raise US tariffs on New Delhi, accusing it of buying massive amounts of Russian oil and selling it for big profits.

Asked about the remarks, Ramesh told PTI, "Well, you know, I am reminded of an old Mukesh song from the (Raj Kapoor, Vyjayanthimala and Rajendra Kumar) film Sangam — 'Dost dost na raha, pyaar pyaar na raha/ Trump humein tera aitbaar na raha'. This is a complete collapse of the so-called friendship of Mr Modi and Mr Trump."

Ramesh said there was 'Howdy Modi' in September 2019, 'Namaste Trump' in February 2020, 'abki baar Trump sarkar' slogan given by PM Modi, and there was the photo-op in February this year. It was said PM Modi was amongst the first heads of government to call on the new President Trump, he said.

"Our external affairs minister (S. Jaishankar) boasted that he had a front row seat in the White House ceremony when President Trump was inaugurated. So everything banked on the personal friendship between PM Modi and President Trump," he said.

Referring to another of his recent swipes at PM Modi, Ramesh said the PM once spoke of the TOP — tomato, onion and potato — challenges in prices, but the country now has to contend with the political challenges arising out of CAP — China, America and Pakistan.

"We were thinking that our relationship with China and Pakistan was a challenge but who would have thought that our relationship with the US would also come under stress? I am afraid this is the collapse of this huglomacy of Mr Modi. There is no substitute to institutional processes of engagement in diplomacy," Ramesh said.

He also hit out at Modi for personalising diplomacy. This was the same President Trump who gave a special lunch to Pakistan Army chief Asim Munir, which was unprecedented, the Congress leader pointed out.

"President Trump is a transactional president. He claims Mr Modi is his great friend, Mr Modi claims Mr Trump is his great friend. But this has been a very costly friendship," Ramesh said.

He alleged that the manner in which Prime Minister Modi has conducted foreign policy has led to its "complete collapse". Ramesh pointed out that over the last three decades, India's relationship with the US had transformed, especially after the economic reforms of 1991 as it went through a lot of tension between 1972-82.

Indira Gandhi went to the US to meet President Ronald Reagan in 1982 and that was the turning point. Then Rajiv Gandhi visited America in 1985 and that saw the take off of the Indo-US relationship, he said.

"But it seems we are back to the period of the 1970s when then US president Richard Nixon treated India cavalierly and Indira Gandhi stood up to him... I have no idea what Mr Modi has in mind, he has not said anything unlike Indira Gandhi, who spoke in Parliament and outside," Ramesh said.

It is not the job of the Opposition to repair the Indo-US relationship, but it is that of the government, he said.

In a social media post, Trump said, "India is not only buying massive amounts of Russian Oil, they are then, for much of the Oil purchased, selling it on the Open Market for big profits. They don't care how many people in Ukraine are being killed by the Russian War Machine. Because of this, I will be substantially raising the Tariff paid by India to the USA."

India has said it will take all necessary steps to safeguard and promote national interest and that the implications of the tariffs are being examined.

India's import of crude oil from Russia has risen from 0.2 per cent of total purchases before the Russia-Ukraine war to 35-40 per cent. New Delhi is the largest buyer of Russian oil after China.

On 1 August, Trump signed an Executive Order titled 'Further Modifying The Reciprocal Tariff Rates', raising tariffs for over five dozen countries, including a steep 25 per cent for India.

The executive order, however, did not mention the penalty that Trump had said India will have to pay because of its purchases of Russian military equipment and energy.