Rahul Gandhi Slams Modi Over H-1B Visa Fees, Calls Him "Weak Prime Minister"

Strategic Insights -

The US move to impose a one lakh dollar fee on H-1B visas has sparked a war of words between Rahul Gandhi and the Indian government. Gandhi, the Congress leader, has pulled out an old tweet from 2017 where he called Narendra Modi a "weak Prime Minister" over the issue of US visas for highly skilled workers. Gandhi's latest statement was in response to Prime Minister Modi's birthday call from Donald Trump, where Indians were left pained by the "return gifts" from the US government.

Key Takeaways:

  • Rahul Gandhi has called Narendra Modi a "weak Prime Minister" over the US H-1B visa fees issue, citing a 2017 tweet as evidence.
  • The US has imposed a one lakh dollar fee on H-1B visas, which will heavily impact India, which holds 71% of these visas.
  • Gandhi has accused Modi of having "strategic silences" and "loud optics" that have become a liability for the country.
  • The Congress party has listed several "gifts" from the US government to Modi, including a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas, 50% tariffs, HIRE Act targeting Indian outsourcing, and lifting of waiver for Chabahar port.
  • Gandhi has criticized Modi's foreign policy approach, saying that bear hugs, hollow slogans, concerts, and getting people to chant "Modi, Modi" are not effective foreign policy measures.

Statistics:

  • India holds 71% of H-1B visas (Source: News report)
  • The US has imposed a one lakh dollar fee on H-1B visas (Source: News report)
  • The US government has imposed a $100,000 annual fee on H-1B visas (Source: List of gifts from US government to Modi on his birthday)
  • India will be heavily impacted by the levying of steep US fees on H-1B visas (Source: News report)
  • The HIRE Act targets Indian outsourcing with 50% tariffs (Source: List of gifts from US government to Modi on his birthday)
  • The waiver for Chabahar port has been lifted by the US government (Source: List of gifts from US government to Modi on his birthday)

Sources:

  • "Congress leader Rahul Gandhi calls Narendra Modi a weak PM, exhuming a 2017 tweet" (Source: TIMES NEWS NETWORK, New Delhi)
  • News report on India's 71% share of H-1B visas (Source: [insert original news source with exact format])
  • List of gifts from US government to Modi on his birthday (Source: [insert original news source with exact format])