Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Sunday urged the Congress party to drop the political games when it comes to India’s national interests. He made the call amid rising tensions over US tariffs on India and tougher H-1B visa rules that affect thousands of Indian tech workers.
Rijiju, who handles parliamentary affairs, shared his thoughts on X without directly naming Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge. “When it comes to national interests, we all must speak for India,” he wrote, pushing back against criticisms of the government.
The minister’s post came right after former diplomat Kanwal Sibal slammed Kharge for blaming Prime Minister Narendra Modi for US President Donald Trump’s recent moves. Trump has hiked fees and tightened guidelines for the H-1B visa program, a key pathway for Indian professionals heading to American jobs.
Sibal, known for his sharp insights, argued that pointing fingers at Modi only weakens India’s stand against foreign pressure. “Trump is being obnoxious to everyone, including his allies,” Sibal posted on social media. He highlighted how Trump has targeted countries like Europe, Japan, South Korea, Canada, and Mexico too. “Our resistance in pursuit of our national interest has rattled his bloated ego,” Sibal added.
He also questioned why the opposition would turn a serious challenge like US tariffs on India and H-1B visa changes into domestic politics. Sibal noted that India hasn’t cut shady deals to win Trump’s favor, unlike some nations, and stressed the progress in India-US relations over the years.
Kharge had earlier hit out at the Modi government, accusing it of failing to protect national interests in the tariff deadlock. He even mocked the “gifts” PM Modi supposedly got after Trump’s birthday call last week, linking it to the H-1B visa crackdown that’s causing pain for Indian families.
The Indian government has raised concerns about the “humanitarian consequences” of these H-1B visa rule changes. The Ministry of External Affairs hopes US authorities will fix the disruptions soon, as India navigates these trade tensions and visa hurdles with Washington.
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