Amid ‘Howdy’ glitz, Modi-Trump talks failed to meet India’s expectations, says Congress

The Congress on Sunday said it was disappointed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s much-hyped meeting with US President Donald Trump had failed to meet India’s expectations despite the public display of “bonhomie and special friendship” at the Houston ‘Howdy Modi’ extravaganza.

Congress spokesperson and former Union minister Anand Sharma hit out at the ruling BJP, saying the saffron party’s euphoria on PM’s visit was misplaced as “no tangible outcomes” were visible that can justify BJP’s celebration.

“The Congress Party notes with disappointment that the much-hyped meeting of Prime Minister Modi with US President Trump has failed to meet India’s expectations despite the public display of bonhomie and special friendship at the Huston ‘Howdy Modi’ extravaganza,” Sharma said.

“There were no tangible outcomes of the visit which would justify the BJP celebration. The Prime Minister was unsuccessful in persuading US President Trump to restore the Generalized System of Preference (GSP) for Indian exports to US markets, withdrawal of reduction in number of H1-B visas for Indian professionals and steep hike in fee. The failure to conclude the trade deal has caused disappointment in the Indian industry and exporters weighed down by the recession in our economy,” he added.

The senior Congress leader said that PM Modi seemed to have been carried away “by his own propaganda” and disconnected with the harsh ground realities of “deepening economic crisis, falling investments, crashing industrial production, loss of jobs and wages and collapsing demand and consumption”.

“It's high time that the government brings back focus on real issues and not deflect by engaging in boastful campaign propaganda,” he said.

Sharma pointed out that PM Modi's meetings with other heads of states and governments at the UNGA were a routine affair and were part of standard practice at the UNGA and they did not have any special significance “as is being claimed by the government-BJP propaganda”.

He urged the PM to share the government's assessment of his visit with the leaders of the political parties.

"It is high time that the government brings back focus on real issues and not deflect by engaging in boastful campaign propaganda," Sharma said.

He, however, underlined that the Congress party was in complete agreement with the stand taken by PM Modi and his government on Pakistan and the continuing threat of terrorism.

"We congratulate the Prime Minister for reiterating India's firm and consistent position that the state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and its accession is final and irrevocable. We endorse the official position that all issues pertaining to Jammu and Kashmir are India's internal affairs and there is no question of any third party meddling," he said.

The Congress party also condemned the "provocative and preposterous" statement made by Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan at the UNGA, saying it was aimed at misleading international opinion using "falsehood and fabrication of facts" to defame India.

"The language of Pakistan PM was unbecoming of a Prime Minister and has no place in any civilised discourse," he said.

He said India and the US are strategic partners and the relationship is one of special importance for both the countries. It must embrace the core issues - political, economic and technological - in strengthening a robust partnership.