Congress Leader Rahul Gandhi Intensifies Criticism of PM Modi Over US Tariff Impact on Textile Industry
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Friday launched a fresh offensive against Prime Minister Narendra Modi, resurrecting his controversial "dead economy" rhetoric while highlighting the severe consequences of escalating US tariffs on India's crucial textile sector. The Leader of Opposition directly blamed the Prime Minister for what he described as official paralysis in the face of mounting job losses and deepening uncertainty among exporters.
Social Media Post Details Textile Sector Crisis
In a detailed post on social media platform X, Gandhi painted a grim picture of the textile industry's struggles, attributing them directly to punitive American tariffs and policy ambiguity. "The imposition of 50% US tariffs coupled with persistent uncertainty is wreaking havoc on India's textile exporters," Gandhi asserted. He elaborated that this dual challenge has triggered a cascade of negative outcomes including widespread job losses, numerous factory shutdowns, and a significant contraction in order books.
"Job losses, factory shutdowns and reduced orders represent the harsh reality of our 'Dead Economy'," the Congress leader wrote, deliberately echoing his previous economic critiques of the Modi administration.
Direct Accountability Charge Against Government
Gandhi specifically targeted Prime Minister Modi, accusing his government of failing to mount any meaningful response to the escalating crisis despite its enormous scale. "Despite more than 4.5 crore livelihoods and lakhs of businesses hanging in the balance, Mr. Modi has offered no relief measures nor even publicly addressed the tariff issue," Gandhi charged in his social media statement.
The opposition leader concluded his post with a direct accountability demand: "Modi ji, you bear responsibility for this situation; please immediately focus your attention on this critical matter!"
Historical Context of 'Dead Economy' Allegations
This latest criticism represents a continuation of Gandhi's longstanding economic attacks against the current administration. Previously, the Congress leader had echoed former US President Donald Trump's sharp assessment of India's economic performance, declaring the Indian economy "dead" while squarely blaming PM Modi's policies for this condition.
Gandhi has consistently accused the central government of systematically undermining economic growth through several key decisions. His critique includes the disruptive effects of demonetization, what he characterizes as a poorly implemented Goods and Services Tax (GST) regime, the alleged collapse of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), and chronic failures in job creation—all remarks that have previously sparked intense political debate.
Previous Statements and International Commentary
In a social media post last year, Gandhi had starkly declared, "The economy is dead. Modi killed it." He provided a detailed list of factors behind this perceived decline, notably highlighting:
- The "Adani-Modi partnership" as a detrimental influence
- The disruptive impact of the demonetization exercise
- A fundamentally flawed GST implementation
- The failure of the "Assemble in India" manufacturing initiative
- The decimation of the MSME sector
- Persistent distress within the agricultural community
Addressing reporters previously, Gandhi claimed that the economic slowdown was apparent to all observers except the highest echelons of government. "This reality is evident to everyone except Prime Minister Modi and Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman," he stated. "Ours is a dead economy. I appreciate that the US President has openly acknowledged these facts," Gandhi added, alleging that government policies had systematically destroyed employment opportunities and crippled small businesses.
International Perspective on Indian Economy
The controversy references commentary from former US President Donald Trump, who previously commented on India's economic relations on his Truth Social platform. Trump remarked, "I'm indifferent to India's dealings with Russia. They can let their stagnant economies decline together for all I care. The United States conducts minimal business with India—their tariff barriers are excessively high, ranking among the world's most restrictive. Similarly, Russia and the USA engage in virtually no commercial exchange."
This international dimension adds further complexity to the ongoing domestic political debate surrounding India's economic trajectory and trade relationships under the current administration.
