NEW DELHI: On a day when leader of opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi endorsed US President Donald Trump's "dead economy" remark on India, Congress leader Rajeev Shukla refuted Trump's view, saying he was "wrong", even as party Lok Sabha MP Shashi Tharoor held that US's imposition of 25% tariff and penalties may be just a "bargaining tactic" given that trade negotiations are on between the two countries.
Another Congress MP, Karti Chidambaram, took a similar line and said, "Trump is not a conventional politician... We should not panic immediately. These are all opening positions in a negotiation."
RS MP Rajeev Shukla told ANI in Parliament complex that "Trump saying that the economies of India and Russia are dead, is wrong. The Indian economy is not dead". He went on to add that "economic reforms were introduced when PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh were there. Atal Bihari Vajpayee took those reforms forward. Manmohan Singh strengthened them in his 10 years. The current govt has also worked on it. Our economic condition is not at all weak".
"If someone claims they can finish us economically, it's likely due to a misunderstanding. Trump is living in a delusion. Imposing tariffs is wrong," Shukla added.
With his remarks seen to be contradictory to what Rahul said on the state of the economy, Congress shared a video clip of Shukla responding to a question in Parliament where he said that Rahul Gandhi knows a lot about the economy and went on to list the economic reforms steered by Congress and UPA govt and accused BJP of attacking the party and the Gandhi family without any reason all the time.
Tharoor, commenting on the US's tariff decision, said, "We must give strong support to our negotiators to find the best deal possible. If a good deal is not possible, we may have to walk away".
"Twenty-five per cent plus an unspecified penalty for buying oil and gas from Russia could take it up to 35% or 45%; we don't know how much. There is even talk of 100% penalty, which would destroy our trade with America," Tharoor told reporters.
"Trade negotiations are still going on and there is a possibility, this may come down. If it doesn't, it will certainly damage our exports because America is a very big market for us," he added.
Another Congress MP, Karti Chidambaram, took a similar line and said, "Trump is not a conventional politician... We should not panic immediately. These are all opening positions in a negotiation."
RS MP Rajeev Shukla told ANI in Parliament complex that "Trump saying that the economies of India and Russia are dead, is wrong. The Indian economy is not dead". He went on to add that "economic reforms were introduced when PV Narasimha Rao and Manmohan Singh were there. Atal Bihari Vajpayee took those reforms forward. Manmohan Singh strengthened them in his 10 years. The current govt has also worked on it. Our economic condition is not at all weak".
"If someone claims they can finish us economically, it's likely due to a misunderstanding. Trump is living in a delusion. Imposing tariffs is wrong," Shukla added.
With his remarks seen to be contradictory to what Rahul said on the state of the economy, Congress shared a video clip of Shukla responding to a question in Parliament where he said that Rahul Gandhi knows a lot about the economy and went on to list the economic reforms steered by Congress and UPA govt and accused BJP of attacking the party and the Gandhi family without any reason all the time.
Tharoor, commenting on the US's tariff decision, said, "We must give strong support to our negotiators to find the best deal possible. If a good deal is not possible, we may have to walk away".
"Twenty-five per cent plus an unspecified penalty for buying oil and gas from Russia could take it up to 35% or 45%; we don't know how much. There is even talk of 100% penalty, which would destroy our trade with America," Tharoor told reporters.
"Trade negotiations are still going on and there is a possibility, this may come down. If it doesn't, it will certainly damage our exports because America is a very big market for us," he added.
You may also like
Arsenal star Jurrien Timber part of new £2m decision - 'What impressed me most'
Malegaon judge rejects claim ATS wanted RSS chief arrested
ED calls Anil Ambani for quizzing on August 5 in 'fraud' case, issues lookout notice
Coronation Street airs telling scene as Swarla's future 'revealed' amid bombshell
Rebecca Loos' life became 'hell' as David Beckham's 'blossomed' after 'affair'
