New Delhi: The Congress on Wednesday took a swipe at the government after US President Donald Trump repeated his claim that India is “not going to buy much oil from Russia” and said this is the fourth time in six days that the American leader has announced India’s policy.
The opposition party also took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, saying what he conceals, “Trump reveals”.
The attack came after Trump spoke with Modi and greeted him on Diwali.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, “The PM has finally acknowledged publicly that President Trump called him up and that the two spoke to each other. But all that the PM has said is that the US President extended Diwali greetings. But while Mr. Modi conceals, Mr. Trump reveals.” “On his part, the US President has said that in addition to extending Diwali greetings, he spoke of India’s oil imports from Russia and that he had been assured that these imports will be stopped. This is the 4th time in 6 days that the US President has announced India’s policy,” Ramesh said on X.
Earlier, President Trump had first announced the stoppage of Operation Sindoor on the evening of May 10 before Prime Minister Modi did, the Congress leader said.
In a post on X on Wednesday morning, Modi said, “Thank you, President Trump, for your phone call and warm Diwali greetings.”.
“On this festival of lights, may our two great democracies continue to illuminate the world with hope and stand united against terrorism in all its forms,” the prime minister said.
Earlier, Trump in his remarks at the White House said, “I love the people of India. We’re working on some great deals between our countries. I spoke to Prime Minister Modi today and we just have a very good relationship. He’s not going to buy much oil from Russia. He wants to see that war end as much as I do. He wants to see the war between Russia and Ukraine to end.” “They’re not going to be buying too much oil. So they’ve cut it way back, and they’re continuing to cut it way back,” Trump said.
Taking a swipe at the government, the Congress on Tuesday had said the matter of India’s imports of oil from Russia has been raised by Trump thrice in the past five days, and he has “brushed aside” the MEA’s attempts at denial of any conversation in which Prime Minister Modi promised stopping Russian oil imports.
The opposition party’s assertion had come after Trump said India is going to pay massive tariffs if it continues to buy oil from Russia, while reiterating that he got assurance from Prime Minister Modi that New Delhi is going to halt its oil purchases from Moscow.
The Congress has also said the PM suddenly becomes a “mauni baba” whenever Trump states that he stopped Operation Sindoor or that India will reduce its oil imports from Russia.
India on Thursday said it is “broad-basing and diversifying” its sourcing of energy to meet market conditions.
Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, responding to questions on Trump’s remarks that PM Modi made the assurance to him on Wednesday, had said he was not aware of any such phone conversation, adding India’s oil purchases are guided to safeguard the interests of the Indian consumers in a “volatile” energy scenario.
The Congress has alleged that PM Modi is “frightened” of Trump and appears to have outsourced key decisions to the US.
The opposition party has also alleged that the foreign policy of the Modi government has “completely collapsed” and said the Centre must take opposition leaders into confidence by either calling an all-party meeting or speaking to them one-on-one.
Washington has been maintaining that India is helping Putin finance the Ukraine war through its purchase of Russian crude oil.
The relations between New Delhi and Washington have been reeling under severe stress after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent, including a 25 per cent additional duty for India’s purchase of Russian crude oil.
India described the US action as “unfair, unjustified and unreasonable”.
(This report has been published as part of the auto-generated syndicate wire feed. Apart from the headline, no editing has been done in the copy by ABP Live.)
