‘Will Trump Kidnap Our PM’ Comment Triggers BJP Attack on Congress

Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan triggered a political controversy on Tuesday after questioning whether US President Donald Trump could "kidnap" Prime Minister Narendra Modi, drawing a sharp response from the BJP, which accused the Congress of insulting India and equating the country with Venezuela.

The remark was made during a discussion on proposed US tariffs on Indian exports. Chavan referred to recent American actions in Venezuela to raise a hypothetical question about whether similar pressure could ever be applied to India. The BJP described the comment as irresponsible and anti-national, while Congress leaders continued to criticise Prime Minister Modi's handling of relations with the United States.

BJP national spokesperson Pradeep Bhandari condemned the statement on social media platform X, accusing the Congress of undermining India's sovereignty. "Congress sinks to a new low every day. Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan shamelessly comparing India's situation with Venezuela. By asking whether what happened in Venezuela can happen in India, Congress is making its anti-India mindset clear. Rahul Gandhi wants chaos in Bharat and is seeking foreign intervention in India's affairs," Bhandari said.

Chavan's comments came while addressing concerns over possible US trade measures, including a proposed 50 per cent tariff on Indian goods. He argued that such tariffs would severely impact India-US trade and harm exporters across multiple sectors.

Explaining his position, Chavan said tariffs were being used as an indirect method to curb trade. "Since a direct ban cannot be imposed, tariffs have been used as a tool to stop trade. India will have to bear this. The profits that our exporters earned from the US market will no longer be available. We will have to search for alternative markets, and efforts in that direction are already underway," he said.

While elaborating on these trade tensions, Chavan referred to US military actions in Venezuela and the capture of President Nicolas Maduro to present a hypothetical scenario involving India. "The question then is what next. Will something like what happened in Venezuela happen in India. Will Mr Trump kidnap our prime minister," he said, a remark that quickly circulated online and drew strong criticism from BJP leaders.

The controversy followed comments by Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge a day earlier, in which he questioned Prime Minister Modi's approach towards Donald Trump, particularly in the context of US criticism of India's imports of Russian oil.

"I do not understand why Modi is bending before him. This is harmful for the nation. You were not elected as prime minister to nod to whatever he says," Kharge said. He also cited developments in Venezuela to caution against what he described as aggressive actions by powerful nations against smaller states.

Warning against expansionist politics, Kharge said leaders who pursued such paths had not lasted long, adding that global peace was being threatened by such actions. The Trump-Venezuela remark has since added fresh fuel to the ongoing political clash between the BJP and Congress over India's foreign policy and relations with the United States.