Modi should step down for 'harming' India's sovereignty with US trade deal: Siddaramaiah
Bengaluru (PTI): Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah on Sunday claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has harmed India's sovereignty and weakened the farmers' livelihood by signing the trade deal with the US and demanded he step down.
"A Prime Minister who exposes the nation to pressure, weakens farmers' livelihoods, and damages India's dignity cannot continue in office. For the harm caused to India's sovereignty and self-respect, 'compromised' PM Narendra Modi must take responsibility and immediately resign," Siddaramaiah said in a post on 'X'.
According to him, the interim trade deal announced by Modi and US President Donald Trump did not come from equal and fair negotiations.
It followed "tariff threats, pressure tactics, and public warnings" by the United States on India's trade and energy choices and yielding under such pressure is not diplomacy but "surrender", he charged.
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"By accepting these terms, Narendra Modi has weakened India's independence and lowered the country's standing in the world," he alleged.
Siddaramaiah said the framework is deeply unfair because the US will continue to impose tariffs of around 18 per cent on Indian goods, while India is being pushed to reduce tariffs on American goods to zero and remove other barriers.
He added that there are claims that India will import American goods worth USD 500 billion. US leaders have openly said this framework will benefit American farmers and rural America.
"At the same time, Indian agriculture stands to lose heavily. Indian farmers will be forced to compete with cheap, subsidised American farm products, threatening the livelihoods of 72 crore farmers and farm labourers. This is not free trade. It is economic coercion."
India accepted these terms because Modi reduced India to a position of weakness, where protecting himself mattered more than protecting the country, Siddaramaiah charged.
Cases involving billionaire industrialist and Modi's "close friend Gautam Adani" are ongoing in US courts, he said.
He also alleged that the names of the Prime Minister and a senior union minister name have emerged in the Jeffrey Epstein files, a charge the External Affairs Ministry has already trashed.
India's global respect was built by leaders who stood firm under pressure and gave moral leadership through principle and courage, the CM said.
Siddaramaiah pointed out that late PM Jawaharlal Nehru protected India's independence through the Non-Aligned Movement. Indira Gandhi decisively "cut" Pakistan into two despite strong pressure from the United States.
He also claimed that Manmohan Singh steered India through a global economic depression, ensuring economic stability. Even Atal Bihari Vajpayee showed courage during the nuclear tests, he said.
"Narendra Modi has broken this tradition, reduced foreign policy to slogans, events, and personal image building," Siddaramaiah said, adding when real pressure came from President Trump, there was "silence".
"Serious questions have also been raised about PM Modi's handling of China after disclosures from former Army Chief General M M Naravane's book pointed to weak political leadership at crucial times," he charged.
"The same silence followed when Donald Trump repeatedly claimed credit for India-Pakistan ceasefire decisions," the CM said and added that this is not a series of isolated failures but a clear pattern of "surrender" - on trade, diplomacy, and national security.
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Fire breaks out at Nature Bazaar in south Delhi, around 50 shops gutted
New Delhi (PTI): A major fire broke out at Nature Bazaar in south Delhi's Andheria Mor area on Sunday morning, gutting around 50 shops and triggering a massive firefighting operation, an official of the Delhi Fire Services (DFS) said.
According to the DFS, a call regarding the blaze was received at 7.37 am, following which 10 fire tenders were rushed to the spot to control the flames. No injury to anyone has been reported so far.
The fire erupted at the Nature Bazaar market located near Andheria Mor in the Lado Sarai area, where several temporary and semi-permanent shops selling handicrafts and other items are set up, he said.
Thick plumes of smoke were seen billowing from the market complex as the fire rapidly spread through multiple shops in the crowded marketplace.
Firefighters launched an extensive operation to contain the blaze and prevent it from spreading further.
Around 50 shops were gutted in the incident, causing heavy damage to goods and structures, the officer said.
Fire personnel were continuing efforts to completely douse the flames and carry out cooling operations in the area. The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.
Police officers also reached the spot to assist in crowd management and facilitate firefighting operations.
