Modi not only scared of Trump, but also remote-controlled by big business, alleges Rahul
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Begusarai/Khagaria (PTI): Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not only "scared" of US President Donald Trump, but was also "remote controlled" by big business.
Gandhi, the leader of the opposition in the Lok Sabha, made the stinging attack in poll-bound Bihar, where he addressed back-to-back rallies in Begusarai and Khagaria districts.
"Having a huge chest does not make you strong. Just look at Mahatma Gandhi, who had a frail build but took on the British, who were the superpowers of the time," he said.
"On the other hand, we have Narendra Modi with his boast of a 56-inch chest, who got a panic attack when Trump called him during Operation Sindoor, and the military conflict with Pakistan ended in two days. He is not just scared of Trump, but is also being remote-controlled by Ambani and Adani," he alleged.
The Congress leader said that in 1971, then PM Indira Gandhi was threatened by the US, but she didn't get "scared and did what needed to be done".
"But when Trump told Modi to stop Operation Sindoor, he halted it," he claimed.
Gandhi claimed that all the major decisions of the Modi government, like GST and demonetisation, were "aimed at destroying small businesses and benefiting the big ones".
"Our approach is different. We want to promote small businesses. We want to replace made in China labels on your phones and T-shirts with made in Bihar tags," he said.
Claiming that the PM can do anything for votes, Gandhi said, "Tell him to do yoga, he will do a few asanas."
"He will even dance on stage for votes. Whatever you say until election day, Modi will do that. Because after the elections, he will only work for his favourite corporations," he alleged.
Gandhi said if the INDIA bloc is voted to power in the state, it will form a government for every section, not for any particular caste.
He alleged that the PM was asking youths to watch reels as he wants to divert their attention so that they do not raise questions on real issues, such as unemployment.
"Modi says that the BJP has given you cheap internet so that you can watch reels and make reels. But when you watch reels on Instagram and Facebook, the money goes to Ambani," he alleged.
He also alleged that the BJP and RSS "completely stole" the elections in Karnataka, Maharashtra, Haryana, and Madhya Pradesh.
"The Election Commission has removed names of Mahagathbandhan supporters from the voters' list in Bihar. We have provided proof of this before, and we will provide it again," he claimed.
Gandhi was accompanied, at the rallies, by INDIA bloc partner Mukesh Sahni, who has been promised the deputy CM's post though his Vikassheel Insan Party had no MLA in the outgoing assembly.
Pointing towards Sahni, the Congress leader said, "There is a thought behind intending to make him the deputy CM. We want to form a government that represents all sections of society."
Sahni belongs to the extremely backward Nishad caste, which is traditionally a community of fishermen.
Highlighting his priorities, Gandhi said, "If I am invited to a wedding by a poor farmer, I go there. But I turn down such invitations from people who own big businesses."
Gandhi also alleged that the NDA government in Bihar, headed by JD(U) president Nitish Kumar, was "in fact controlled from Delhi, with the help of three-four bureaucrats in the state".
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Texas halts H-1B visas at state universities, agencies; to affect Indians
Houston (US) (PTI): Texas Governor Greg Abbott has ordered state agencies and public universities to immediately halt new H-1B visa petitions, tightening hiring rules at taxpayer-funded institutions, a step likely to impact Indian professionals.
The freeze will remain in effect through May 2027.
The directive issued on Tuesday said that the state agencies and public universities must stop filing new petitions unless they receive written approval from the Texas Workforce Commission.
The governor's order, in a red state that is home to thousands of H-1B visa holders, comes as the Trump administration has initiated steps to reshape the visa programme.
“In light of recent reports of abuse in the federal H-1B visa programme, and amid the federal government’s ongoing review of that programme to ensure American jobs are going to American workers, I am directing all state agencies to immediately freeze new H-1B visa petitions as outlined in this letter,” Abbot said.
Institutions must also report on H-1B usage, including numbers, job roles, countries of origin, and visa expiry dates, the letter said.
US President Donald Trump on September 19 last year signed a proclamation ‘Restriction on entry of certain non-immigrant workers’ that restricted the entry into the US of those workers whose H-1B petitions are not accompanied or supplemented by a payment of USD 1,00,000.
The H1-B visa fee of USD 1,00,000 would be applicable only to new applicants, i.e. all new H-1B visa petitions submitted after September 21, including those for the FY2026 lottery.
Indians make up an estimated 71 per cent of all approved H-1B applications in recent years, according to US Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS), with China in the second spot. The major fields include technology, engineering, medicine, and research.
Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) is the second-highest beneficiary with 5,505 approved H-1B visas in 2025, after Amazon (10,044 workers on H-1B visas), according to the USCIS. Other top beneficiaries include Microsoft (5,189), Meta (5,123), Apple (4,202), Google (4,181), Deloitte (2,353), Infosys (2,004), Wipro (1,523) and Tech Mahindra Americas (951).
Texas public universities employ hundreds of foreign faculty and researchers, many from India, across engineering, healthcare, and technology fields.
Date from Open Doors -- a comprehensive information resource on international students and scholars studying or teaching at higher education institutions in the US -- for 2022-2023 showed 2,70,000 students from India embarked on graduate and undergraduate degrees in US universities, accounting for 25 per cent of the international student population in the US and 1.5 per cent of the total student population.
Indian students infuse roughly USD 10 billion annually into universities and related businesses across the country through tuition and other expenses – while also creating around 93,000 jobs, according to the Open Doors data.
Analysts warn the freeze could slow recruitment of highly skilled professionals, affecting academic research and innovation.
Supporters say the directive protects local jobs, while critics caution it could weaken Texas’ competitiveness in higher education and research.
The order comes amid broader debate in the US over skilled immigration and state-level interventions in federal programmes.
H-1B visas allow US companies to hire technically-skilled professionals that are not easily available in America. Initially granted for three years, these can be extended for another three years.
In September 2025, Trump had also signed an executive order ‘The Gold Card’, aimed at setting up a new visa pathway for those committed to supporting the United States; with individuals who can pay USD 1 million to the US Treasury, or USD 2 million if a corporation is sponsoring them, to get access to expedited visa treatment and a path to a Green Card.
