Clueless foreign policy or one-sided surrender?, asks Kharge on US interim trade deal
New Delhi (PTI): Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge on Saturday questioned the Modi government's haste in falling into a 'trap deal' with the United States, asking why the government did not wait for the US Supreme Court's judgment on tariffs.
"Clueless foreign policy or one-sided surrender? Why did the Modi Government not wait for the US Supreme Court judgement on tariffs before rushing to fall into a TRAP DEAL, which extracted huge concessions from India?," Kharge asked in a post on X.
Kharge further said that the joint statement spoke of zero tariffs on several American exports to India, virtually opening up India's agriculture to American goods. He noted that the deal also included plans to import USD 500 billion worth of US goods, a commitment to stop purchasing Russian oil, which Kharge argued would harm India's energy security, and several tax exemptions related to digital trade.
"Modi ji must stand before Indians and tell the truth. What or Who pressured you into compromising India's national interest and strategic autonomy? Was it the Epstein Files?
"Will the Government of India wake up from its deep slumber and deliver a fair trade deal that preserves the self-respect of 140 crore Indians and the interest of our farmers, workers, small businesses and traders?," the Congress president asked.
In the wake of the US Supreme Court's decision on tariffs, President Donald Trump said there is no change in the trade deal with India and emphasised that the "India deal is on."
The US Supreme Court struck down Trump's far-reaching global tariffs on Friday, handing him a stinging loss on an issue crucial to his economic agenda.
The 6-3 decision centres on tariffs imposed under an emergency powers law, including the sweeping "reciprocal" tariffs he levied on nearly every other country. The high court ruled his use of an emergency powers law to set import duties without Congress was illegal.
In a press conference, Trump said that he's “absolutely ashamed” of justices who voted to strike down his tariffs, calling the decision “deeply disappointing.”
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Rain washes out Super Eights match between New Zealand and Pakistan
Pallekele (Sri Lanka) (PTI): New Zealand and Pakistan shared a point after incessant rain forced the abandonment of the opening T20 World Cup Group 2 Super Eights match here on Saturday.
Amid a slight drizzle, Pakistan won the toss and elected to bat first.
But the steady droplets soon transformed into relentless pouring, forcing the officials to call off the match without a ball being bowled.
Before the skies opened up, Pakistan made one change to their eleven, bringing in Fakhar Zaman in place of Khawaja Nafay.
New Zealand made three changes with skipper Mitchell Santner back after missing the last match against Canada due to a stomach issue and Lockie Ferguson and Ish Sodhi also found a place in the XI.
But all those calculations and combinations will have to wait for another day, as Pakistan will now face England here on February 24.
New Zealand will make a light travel to Colombo to face home side Sri Lanka on February 25.
The washout has also placed both the Kiwis and Pakistan in a relatively tighter place ahead of their remaining two Super Eights matches.
A similar result in any of the following matches, a possibility considering Sri Lanka’s weather pattern, or a defeat can put their semifinal ambitions in serious jeopardy.
