Congress President Mallikarjun Kharge launched a scathing attack on Monday, drawing a controversial parallel between former US President Donald Trump and infamous dictators like Adolf Hitler and Benito Mussolini. His criticism targeted Trump's foreign policy actions, particularly concerning Venezuela, and also took aim at Prime Minister Narendra Modi for India's stance on Russian oil imports.
Trump's 'Expansionism' Compared to Historical Dictators
Addressing reporters in New Delhi, Kharge expressed deep concern over recent US military intervention in Venezuela. He referenced the operation that led to the ousting of President Nicolás Maduro and his subsequent extradition to New York to face narco-terrorism charges. "What is happening in Venezuela today is not good for the world. Trump is trying to frighten people across the globe," Kharge stated.
He accused the Republican leader of indulging in "expansionism," a trait he associated with history's most notorious autocrats. "Leaders who attempt to expand their territories, like Hitler and Mussolini, do not remain in power for long," the veteran Congress leader asserted, implying a similar fate for such policies.
On Modi 'Bending' and the 'Mogambo' Jibe
Kharge's critique extended to domestic politics, focusing on Prime Minister Modi's response to US pressure regarding India's continued purchase of Russian crude oil. This comes in the wake of Trump's recent statement expressing his unhappiness with India funding "Putin’s war machine" in Ukraine, a conflict that began in February 2022.
The US has imposed significant economic measures, including 50% tariffs on India, with half of this linked directly to New Delhi's Russian oil imports. Reacting to this dynamic, Kharge invoked a iconic dialogue from the 1989 Hindi blockbuster "Mr. India." "It shows that PM Modi is under Trump’s control. I am reminded of a dialogue from Mr India — ‘Mogambo khush hua’ (Mogambo is happy)," he remarked.
He questioned the Prime Minister's stance, urging him to stand firm for national interests. "But I do not understand why Modi ji is bending before him. This is harmful for the nation. Stand for the country. You nod to whatever he says. The country did not elect you just to nod," Kharge emphasized.
Dismissing Claims on India-Pakistan Ceasefire
Kharge also addressed Trump's repeated assertions about his role in ending the May 2025 conflict between India and Pakistan, claiming the former President has made this statement approximately 70 times. He dismissed these claims as a display of arrogance, contrasting them with India's democratic ethos.
"What does it mean? That he (Trump) is a tall personality and he can make the world bow to him. But the world won't bow before him," Kharge said. He reiterated India's foundational foreign policy principle, "We live in a democracy, only through a democratic method we have to go ahead... Nehru ji's policy was 'live and let live'. That is our policy."
This aligns with the Indian government's consistent position that the ceasefire talks were a bilateral matter with Pakistan, initiated following a request from Islamabad, and not a result of external mediation.
