New Delhi । Senior Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday sparked a major political controversy after he drew parallels between recent US actions in Venezuela and India, wondering aloud whether US President Donald Trump could carry out a similar operation against India and “kidnap” Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Chavan made the remarks while reacting to reports of the US threatening to sharply increase tariffs on Indian goods. Speaking to a news agency, he said that a proposed 50 per cent tariff would make trade between India and the United States virtually impossible.
“With a 50 per cent tariff, trade is simply not possible. In effect, this amounts to blocking India–US trade, especially exports from India to the United States. Since a direct ban cannot be imposed, tariffs are being used as a tool to stop trade. India will have to bear this,” Chavan said.
He added that such a move would severely impact Indian exporters, forcing the country to search for alternative markets. “The profits that our people earlier earned from exports to the US will no longer be available. We will have to look for alternative markets, and efforts in that direction are already underway,” he said.
However, Chavan’s comments took a controversial turn when he referred to US actions in Venezuela. “What if Trump did the same with India what it did with Venezuela? The question now is whether something like what happened in Venezuela might happen in India. Will Trump kidnap our Prime Minister?” he remarked.
The statement triggered sharp reactions from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which accused the Congress of having an “anti-India mindset.” BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari launched a scathing attack on the Congress and its leadership, saying the party had “sunk to a new low.”
“Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan is shamelessly comparing India’s situation with Venezuela. By raising such questions, Congress is making its anti-India mindset clear,” Bhandari said. He also targeted Congress MP and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, accusing him of seeking foreign intervention in India’s internal affairs. “Rahul Gandhi wants chaos in Bharat and is seeking foreign intervention in India’s affairs,” he alleged.
This is not the first time Chavan has landed in controversy in recent weeks. Earlier, he reportedly questioned the performance of the Indian Armed Forces during Operation Sindoor, claiming that India was “defeated” on the first day of the operation and that Indian aircraft were almost grounded due to the threat from Pakistan. The BJP had then demanded action against him for what it called “irresponsible and demoralising” remarks.
On Tuesday, Chavan also commented on the Supreme Court’s decision to deny bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case. He described the prolonged incarceration of the two without trial as “controversial” and said it went against the spirit of the Supreme Court’s own observations on personal liberty.
“Incarcerating them for a long time without trial is contrary to what the Supreme Court has been saying. They should be tried in a court of law,” Chavan said, adding that the world was closely watching the state of democracy and freedom of speech in India.
The Congress leader’s remarks have once again intensified the political war of words between the ruling BJP and the opposition, with the issue likely to resonate in the ongoing debate over foreign policy, national security, and freedom of expression in the country.