Quietly slips off to Israel after I dare him to scrap US deal: Rahul's dig at PM Modi

Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Wednesday sharpened his attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging that the prime minister had “quietly slipped off to Israel” after being challenged to cancel the India-US interim trade deal, which he termed “anti-farmer”.

In a post in Hindi on X, Gandhi wrote, “Narendra ‘Surrender’ Modi, it’s been more than 24 hours since I challenged you to cancel the US Trade Deal -- and once again, you’ve quietly slipped off to Israel.”

He further said, “At least once, you’ve already ‘danced and sung’ in Israel at Epstein’s behest - so this time, on whose orders will you striking a deal against the country’s interests and return?”

The Congress leader had earlier raised the issue during a ‘Kisan Mahachaupal’ rally in Bhopal on Tuesday, where he alleged that the Indo-US interim trade agreement was finalised under external pressure.

Calling the deal “an arrow in the heart of farmers”, Gandhi said, “After the US Supreme Court ruling on the trade deal (global tariffs), I challenge PM Modi to scrap it if he has courage...but he won't be able to do so.”

His remarks followed a recent ruling by the US Supreme Court, which in a 6-3 verdict held that tariffs imposed by President Donald Trump on several countries were illegal and exceeded presidential authority, a development Gandhi cited to question the basis of the bilateral trade arrangement.

Gandhi also alleged that the prime minister approved the agreement due to external pressure linked to the possible release of “Epstein files” and an ongoing criminal case involving industrialist Gautam Adani in the United States.

The BJP has previously rejected similar allegations, while the government has maintained that trade negotiations are guided by India’s national interest.

The Congress leader’s remarks add to the ongoing political sparring between the opposition and the Centre over economic policy, farmers’ concerns and India’s engagement with global trade partners.

The Indo-US interim trade deal has been a recurring flashpoint, with opposition parties questioning its potential impact on domestic agriculture and small producers, while the government has defended it as a step towards expanding market access and strengthening strategic ties.

There was no immediate response from the BJP or the Prime Minister’s Office to Gandhi’s latest comments at the time of filing this report.

With PTI inputs