The Indian Youth Congress (IYC) on Saturday slammed the Modi government for its silence on the 26 per cent export tariff imposed by US President Donald Trump, calling it a sign of India's failed foreign and economic policy.
At a protest held in the capital, IYC National President Uday Bhanu Chib alleged that the new tariff would "destroy the Indian market" and severely harm sectors such as agriculture, small industries, chemical production and electronics manufacturing.
"Prime Minister Narendra Modi does not have the guts to speak against Trump. His silence is costing the Indian economy dearly," Chib alleged.
The Union government must stop "parading" its "so-called" friendship with the US and come clean on how it plans to protect India's interests, he added.
Echoing similar concerns, Delhi Pradesh Youth Congress President Akshay Lakra said the tariff hike was evidence of the Modi government's diplomatic and economic failures.
"From supporting Trump's election campaign to completely bowing before him, what has Modi achieved? Today, the US is slapping 26 per cent tariff on our products, and our economy, which is already grappling with inflation and unemployment, is heading towards deeper trouble," Lakra said.
The IYC workers burned an effigy of Trump during the demonstration and attempted to take out a protest march but were stopped by police, said an IYC statement.
The IYC warned that if the government continues to be silent, it will intensify protest in the coming days.
