Shashi Tharoor backs India-US negotiators after Rahul's 'dead economy' remark
Shashi Tharoor declined to comment on his party leader's statement, stating that India's strategic and economic partnership with the US is important
Days after Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi apparently agreed with US President Donald Trump’s “dead economy” comment for India, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor on Saturday said there should be support for India’s negotiators with the US regarding the 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods imposed by Washington. Trump made the remark about India and Russia.
Speaking to reporters in Mumbai, the Congress MP declined to comment on Rahul Gandhi’s remark, saying he had “his reasons” for the remark.
'Won't comment on leader's remark'
“I don't want to comment on what my party leader has said. He has his reasons for saying so. My concern is that our relationship with the US, as a strategic and economic partnership, is important for us. We are exporting around 90 billion worth of goods to America. We can't be in a position to lose that or have it diminish significantly,” said Tharoor as quoted by ANI.
“We must wish our negotiators strength to get a fair deal for India... We should also be talking to other regions for exporting our goods...Then we could make up for some of what we might lose in the US... We have to support our negotiators,” he added.
Also Read: Rahul Gandhi says Trump right on making 'dead economy' remark about India
What Rahul Gandhi said
Rahul Gandhi on Friday had said that the US President was right in stating that the Indian economy was a “dead economy”, alleging that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was working only for Adani.
“Yes, he is right. Everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. I am glad that President Trump has stated a fact. The whole world knows that the BJP has finished the Indian economy to help Adani", Rahul told reporters outside Parliament,” said Rahul.
“The government has destroyed our economic policy, the government has destroyed our defence policy, has destroyed our foreign policy; they are running this country into the ground... the prime minister works for only one person: Adani. All small businesses have been demolished. You wait and see, this deal will happen, and Trump will define how this deal happens, and Modi will do exactly what Trump asks,” he added.
Also Read: Rahul Gandhi says PM Modi on 'weak wicket' on Trump's claims
Jibe at PM
Later in the day, Rahul alleged that the Prime Minister had killed the Indian economy and destroyed the future of the country’s youth.
“THE INDIAN ECONOMY IS DEAD. Modi killed it. 1. Adani-Modi partnership 2. Demonetisation and a flawed GST 3. Failed “Assemble in India” 4. MSMEs wiped out 5. Farmers crushed. Modi has destroyed the future of India’s youth because there are no jobs," stated Rahul in a post on X.