Congress Criticizes PM Modi as US H-1B Visa Fee Increase Hits Indian Tech Workers
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized PM Modi’s foreign policy approach
The Congress party launched a scathing attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, branding him a "weak PM" after the United States imposed a staggering $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas for highly skilled workers. The move, announced by US President Donald Trump on Friday, is expected to disproportionately affect Indian professionals, who constitute approximately 70% of H-1B visa holders.
Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge criticized Modi’s foreign policy approach, accusing him of prioritizing "strategic silence" and "loud optics" over safeguarding India’s national interests. In a post on X, Kharge remarked, “Bear hugs, hollow slogans, concerts, and getting people to chant ‘Modi, Modi’ is not foreign policy!” He emphasized that effective diplomacy requires wisdom and balance, not "superficial bravado" that risks India’s global standing.
Kharge highlighted the economic fallout, citing estimates of a ₹2.17 lakh crore loss across 10 sectors due to existing US tariffs and the new visa fee. He also pointed to the HIRE Act, which he claimed targets Indian outsourcing, and the lifting of exemptions for the Chabahar port, describing it as a blow to India’s strategic interests. Additionally, Kharge referenced Trump’s recent claim of preventing an India-Pakistan war, questioning Modi’s diplomatic efficacy.
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Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi echoed these sentiments, stating on X, “I repeat, India has a weak PM.” Congress deputy leader Gaurav Gogoi contrasted Modi’s approach with former PM Manmohan Singh’s bold response to the mistreatment of an Indian diplomat in the US, accusing Modi of allowing national interests to suffer due to his preference for optics over action.
Congress leader Pawan Khera referenced a 2017 post by Gandhi, noting that the H-1B visa issue was absent from Modi-Trump discussions at the time. “Eight years later, Rahul Gandhi is vindicated yet again,” Khera said, lamenting that India remains “stuck with a weak Prime Minister.”
The US proclamation, signed by Trump, frames the H-1B programme as a national security concern, alleging it has been exploited to replace American workers with lower-paid foreign labor. The fee hike is part of broader efforts to curb immigration, raising concerns about its impact on Indian tech professionals and the broader outsourcing industry.
The Congress party’s critique underscores growing domestic discontent with Modi’s handling of international relations, particularly as the H-1B visa changes threaten the livelihoods of thousands of Indian workers and the economic ties between India and the US.
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