Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi, calling him "weak" in light of the possible adverse impact on Indians due to the US move to increase H-1B visa fee.
In a post on X, Gandhi said, "I repeat, India has a weak PM."
He also attached a news report highlighting that 71 per cent of H-1B visas are held by Indians who are likely to be hit the hardest by President Donald Trump's decision to raise the annual fee for such visas to $100,000 from the $1,700-$4,500.
Gandhi also recirculated his social media message of July 5, 2017, in which he had said, "India has a weak PM."
The five-year-old remark by Gandhi on social media was tagged with two news reports with headlines 'H-1B didn't figure in Modi-Trump talks' and "MEA accepts U.S. use of 'administered Kashmir'.
Gandhi's fresh offensive against PM Modi is part of the Congress's criticism of the US move, stating that it is not a new development and blamed the Centre's policies for the worsening relationship between the two countries.
Earlier, speaking to IANS, Congress MP Manoj Kumar said, "This is not new. They have already imposed tariffs. Now, Trump is doing this. The whole of India knows what Trump is doing, what his desires are, and what actions he is taking.
"On one hand, you say our Prime Minister is great and a good friend of Trump, and on the other hand, you're imposing such hefty fees on H-1B visas. Why is Trump doing this? He thinks he is a king, and by doing this, he will win. But in India, we will stand our ground. Whatever policies he is bringing forward, he is digging his own well."
Congress leader Surendra Rajput added, "The US is continuously behaving like an enemy while claiming PM Modi is their friend. Trump is hurting 140 crore Indians.
"There are three clear examples: First, he increased the H-1B visa fee. Yesterday, the US revoked the sanctions waiver on Iran's Chabahar port, through which India trades with Russia, Afghanistan, and the Middle East -- without involving Pakistan. He stopped that too. Additionally, he imposed 50 per cent tariffs on Indian goods. If Modi's friend behaves like this, then he is not a friend of India. And just because Trump tweeted on PM Modi's birthday doesn't prove friendship."
Meanwhile, according to the US proclamation, every application will now require a fee of $100,000 per year - an attempt to curtail the overuse of the visa programme and encourage hiring of domestic workers.
The H-1B visa programme works as a temporary work permit in the US, allowing American firms to recruit overseas talent for specialised positions.
The proclamation claimed that the H1-B visa programme has been "deliberately exploited to replace, rather than supplement, American workers with lower-paid, lower-skilled labour" and is undermining both "our economic and national security."
President Trump also signed an executive order creating a gold card programme that would enable people to obtain a visa for $1 million and corporations for $2 million.
The H-1B visa programme, capped at 85,000 new visas annually, allowed US companies to hire skilled foreign workers in fields like technology and engineering. The latest move is expected to impact major American tech companies as well.
(With inputs from IANS)
