Congress leader Jairam Ramesh on Saturday took a sharp dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, remarking that the “self-styled Vishwaguru” would now attend the upcoming G20 Summit in Johannesburg, scheduled for November 22–23, 2025, in person — following US President Donald Trump’s announcement to boycott the event.
Congress Takes A Swipe At PM Modi Over G20 Attendance
In a post on X, Ramesh wrote: “Now that President Trump has announced that he will not be attending the G20 Summit in South Africa a few days hence on Nov 22-23, we can be certain that the self-styled Vishwaguru will himself attend in person.”
Ramesh’s comment referenced Modi’s decision to skip the 47th ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, which he attended virtually citing Deepavali festivities. The Congress leader had previously accused Modi of avoiding a face-to-face meeting with Trump amid escalating trade frictions between India and the US.
Trump’s boycott of the Johannesburg G20 Summit has created global ripples. In a post on Truth Social, he accused South Africa of committing human rights abuses against white farmers, particularly the Afrikaner community — descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers.
“Afrikaners are being killed and slaughtered, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated. No US Government Official will attend as long as these human rights abuses continue. I look forward to hosting the 2026 G20 in Miami, Florida!” Trump declared.
The South African government swiftly dismissed Trump’s allegations as “baseless and inflammatory,” asserting that his statements misrepresent the country’s land reform and crime data.
Ramesh’s quip underscores the Congress party’s broader critique of Modi’s foreign policy style, often framed as image-driven and reactive to global power politics. With Trump’s absence adding diplomatic complexity, analysts say Modi’s participation could become a key opportunity to reassert India’s leadership role within the G20 amid shifting international dynamics.
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