Accusing Narendra Modi of surrendering" under "pressure", the Congress leader compared the Prime Minister with Indira Gandhi.
His remarks came a day after US President Donald Trump claimed that PM Modi had sought an audience with him. “Prime Minister Modi came to see me, ‘Sir, may I see you please’. Yes,” Trump said. The US President also referred to India facing steep tariffs.
Gandhi shared a video message on X with the caption "Fark samjho sirji".
“I know these BJP–RSS people very well now. Put a little pressure on them, give them a little push and they run away in fear,” Gandhi said. “As soon as Trump signalled from there, they picked up the phone and said, ‘What are you doing, Modi ji?’ Narendra surrendered and with ‘yes sir’, Narendra Modi ji followed Trump’s signal,” he said.
The Congress leader drew a comparison with the 1971 war, saying India had once stood firm despite US pressure.
फ़र्क समझो, सर जी! pic.twitter.com/pLUtZK3oGR— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) January 7, 2026
“You might remember a time when the phone call didn’t come — the Seventh Fleet had come. In the 1971 war, the Seventh Fleet came, weapons came, an aircraft carrier came. Indira Gandhi ji said, ‘I will do what I have to do.’ This is the difference,” he said, referring to the United States Seventh Fleet.
In 1971, then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi stood up to the US pressure and went ahead with a military operation that led to the creation of Bangladesh and the division of Pakistan.
Sharing a video of Trump's remarks, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh also took a swipe at PM Modi.
"From Namaste Trump to Howdy Modi to Donald bhai and now this. What next?" Ramesh said on X.
The US has imposed 50 per cent tariffs on India, including 25 per cent for its purchases of Russian oil.
The US president also said that India told him it has been waiting for five years for the Apache helicopters. “We're changing it. We're changing it. India ordered 68 Apaches,” he said.
The Congress on Monday had also taken a swipe at the government over Trump's remarks that Washington can raise tariffs on New Delhi "very quickly", saying all those "Namaste Trump, Howdy Modi events, forced hugs", and social media posts hailing the American leader have done very little good.
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