Piyush Goyal's Bollywood-Inspired Retort to Rahul Gandhi's Trade Deal Critique
In a sharp and witty political exchange, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal turned to Bollywood humor on Sunday to counter Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's persistent criticism of the government's trade agreement with the United States. Goyal repurposed actor Sunny Deol's famous angry dialogue "tarikh ke tarikh" from a Hindi movie into a pointed "jhooth pe jhooth (lie after lie)" jibe, directly targeting Gandhi's series of posts on social media platform X.
Escalating Political Debate Over Trade Pact
The minister's retort came in response to Rahul Gandhi, the Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, who had launched a fresh attack on the government, accusing it of allegedly betraying farmers and raising further questions about the trade deal. Gandhi's posts criticized the agreement, prompting Goyal to step in with a blend of political defense and pop culture reference.
Goyal shared a post on X featuring a picture of Rahul Gandhi with the caption "tweet pe tweet" and an image of Sunny Deol—incidentally a former BJP MP—in his film avatar shouting "jhooth pe jhooth". This visual juxtaposition highlighted the minister's attempt to frame Gandhi's criticisms as repetitive and unfounded.
Defending Farmers' Interests in the Agreement
Emphasizing the government's stance, Piyush Goyal also shared a collection of his remarks to clarify the details of the trade agreement. He stressed that the pact fully protects the interests of Indian farmers and makes no concessions to the US in the sensitive dairy sector. This assertion aimed to reassure stakeholders and counter the opposition's claims of potential harm to agricultural communities.
The use of Bollywood humor in political discourse is not uncommon in India, but Goyal's specific reference to Sunny Deol's dialogue added a layer of cultural resonance to the debate. It underscored the ongoing tensions between the ruling BJP and the Congress party over economic policies and international trade.
This exchange highlights how political leaders are increasingly leveraging social media and popular culture to engage with the public and shape narratives. As the discussion around the India-US trade agreement continues, such interactions are likely to fuel further debate in the coming days, with both sides standing firm on their positions regarding farmers' welfare and national interests.
