Union Minister Kiren Rijiju latched on to a former Foreign Secretary’s remarks on the Donald Trump administration’s H1-B visa move to send a strong message to the main opposition Congress. There is enough time and space for politics, but we must all speak for India when it comes to national interests, Mr Rijiju said.
The Parliamentary Affairs has shared former Foreign Secretary Kanwal Sibal’s rebuttal to Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge.
Referring to the H1-B visa crackdown, Mr Kharge yesterday said Indians are pained by the “gifts” Prime Minister Modi received after Trump called him on his birthday last week. The Congress chief took a swipe at the Modi-Trump bonhomie in the past and said “bear Hugs” and “hollow slogans” are not foreign policy. “Foreign policy is about safeguarding our national interests; keeping India first, and steering friendships with wisdom and balance,” he said.
Kanwal Sibal, India’s former foreign secretary, responded to the Congress president. “Blaming Modi for Trump’s antagonistic steps against India rather than closing ranks against foreign bullying only weakens our resistance. Trump is being obnoxious to everyone, including his allies. See the way he has humiliated Europe, Japan, South Korea, Canada, Mexico etc. He thought he could get his way with India. Our resistance in pursuit of our national interest has rattled his bloated ego and unleashed his bullying nature,” the seasoned diplomat said in a post on X.
“Is the opposition against India refusing to be dictated on our foreign policy choices by the US? We have, unlike Pakistan, not done business deals involving his family and close associates to earn Trump’s goodwill, which, in any case, cannot be relied upon. Why try to exploit a serious external challenge for domestic politicking? A lot has been achieved in the last many years in our ties with the US,” he said.
“If Trump wants to undo the gains because he thinks he wants to appeal to his MAGA base and because he treats foreign relations as business deals, it is not India’s problem alone. Would the opposition want India to open the doors to GMO crops and dairy products? Internal solidarity against foreign pressure rather than mockery will be nationally helpful, even as hard give and take in domestic politics goes on,” said Mr Sibal.
Sharing his post, Union Parliamentary Affairs Minister said on X, “Kanwal Sibal is highly intellectual, thoroughly sober and an erudite diplomat known for his sharp and highly pertinent views. I can understand his pain, which forced him to give this perfect piece of advice to Congress President. We have enough time and space to do politics but when it comes to national interests, we all must speak for INDIA.”
The Donald Trump administration yesterday announced new guidelines, including a massive fee hike, for the H1-B visa, used by a large number of Indian techies to work in the US.
The Centre has said this move is likely to have “humanitarian consequences” and cause disruption for families. “Government hopes that these disruptions can be addressed suitably by the US authorities,” the Ministry of External Affairs has said.
