New Delhi: Congress MP Shashi Tharoor, on Friday, joined others in rebuking US president Donald Trump for describing India as a ‘dead economy’. This came a day after his party MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi backed Trump’s statement, saying he was glad the US president had stated the facts.
“This is not the case, and we all know it,” Tharoor told reporters in response to a question. “This is not the case, and we all know it.”
“I don’t care what India does with Russia. They can take their dead economies down together, for all I care,” Trump had posted on X, just hours after slapping 25 per cent duties.
Gandhi had endorsed the scathing remarks on the Indian economy, as he accused the PM Modi-led NDA government of its alleged mismanagement.
“Yes, he is right, everybody knows this except the Prime Minister and the Finance Minister. Everybody knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. I am glad that president Trump has stated a fact. The entire world knows that the Indian economy is a dead economy. The BJP has finished the economy to help Adani.”
Tharoor and the Congress have not seen eye to eye on several issues over the last few months. Matters came to a head after the Thiruvananthapuram MP supported Operation Sindoor, which contrasts with the party’s official position. Tharoor praised the military action, saying the nation comes before the party. The government’s decision to appoint him as head of the Operation Sindoor delegation to the US, despite Congress not nominating him, deepened the divide.
The friction became clearer this week when Tharoor was not included among Congress speakers during the Parliamentary debate on Operation Sindoor. Sources say he declined to participate, reportedly stating he would not contradict his own stance for party messaging.
Union minister for parliamentary affairs Kiren Rijiju also blasted Gandhi for his remarks. “Not only people from the Government, but even members of the Opposition have said that what Rahul Gandhi is saying is anti-India. Rahul Gandhi should understand that he is not a child, and it is expected from an Opposition leader to maintain the dignity of the country.”
“Rahul Gandhi is constantly threatening constitutional institutions. This is a conspiracy to weaken democracy… Even a few of the Opposition leaders have started opposing Rahul Gandhi internally. People are saying that Rahul is playing a dirty game and wants to tarnish the image of the country,” he added.
