'Will Trump kidnap PM Modi?': Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan stirs controversy over Venezuela situation

Prithviraj Chavan

Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan triggered widespread backlash and mockery on social media after making remarks comparing India to Venezuela, with many users calling his comments bizarre and absurd.

Referring to the US military action in Venezuela that led to the capture of Nicolas Maduro, Chavan raised a question that quickly went viral and drew sharp reactions online. “... Will something like what happened in Venezuela happen in India? Will Mr Trump kidnap our prime minister?” he asked, a statement that several social media users treated as a joke rather than a serious political comment.

The remarks drew strong criticism from various quarters. Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police SP Vaid condemned Chavan’s statement, saying it was “humiliating for the entire country.” On social media platforms, users slammed the Congress leader using terms such as “brain dead,” “illiterate,” and “fool,” questioning the logic of drawing such a parallel, particularly given that India is a nuclear power.

Chavan, who has previously served as Maharashtra chief minister and as a Union minister, made the comments while continuing the Congress party’s attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over the United States’ steep tariffs on India. His remarks were seen as building on party president Mallikarjun Kharge’s criticism of the government on the same issue.

The comments, however, ended up shifting focus away from the tariff debate, with much of the public discourse centring instead on the controversy and ridicule surrounding Chavan’s Venezuela comparison.