Daijiworld Media Network- New Delhi
New Delhi, Aug 1: A political rift within the Congress party has come to light after senior leader Shashi Tharoor and MP Karti Chidambaram distanced themselves from Rahul Gandhi’s apparent endorsement of US President Donald Trump’s derogatory remarks on India’s economy.
Addressing reporters outside Parliament on Friday, Tharoor refuted Trump’s comments, stating, “This is not the case, and we all know it.” The Congress MP from Thiruvananthapuram added that such statements did not reflect the ground realities of India’s economic status.
The controversy erupted after Trump, in a post on his social media platform Truth Social, said, “I don't care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care.” He further criticized India’s high tariffs and minimal trade ties with the US.
Soon after, Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi agreed with Trump’s assessment, telling reporters, “He is right. Everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. I’m glad President Trump has stated a fact.”
However, Congress MP Karti Chidambaram took a more cautious stance, describing Trump as an “unconventional politician” whose offhand comments should not be taken at face value. “India and the US are large economies with deep-rooted people-to-people ties. Such remarks won’t impact our long-term relationship,” Chidambaram told NDTV.
Adding his voice to the disagreement, Rajya Sabha MP Rajiv Shukla criticized Trump’s remarks, calling them “completely wrong.” He said, “Our economy is not weak. Trump seems to be under a misunderstanding, or perhaps even a delusion.”
The differing tones within the Congress ranks have raised eyebrows, with some political observers suggesting a lack of unified messaging. While Gandhi continues to target the Modi-led government over economic concerns, party stalwarts appear reluctant to use international criticism as political ammunition against India itself.
The Centre is yet to issue an official statement in response to the comments made by the US President.