Trump is a ‘dictator’, Modi is his ‘slave’, says Mallikarjun Kharge

Mallikarjun Kharge on Sunday launched a sharp attack on the Centre’s foreign policy and trade decisions , alleging that Narendra Modi was acting under the influence of Donald Trump and had compromised India’s interests in dealing with the United States.

Speaking at a public event after launching development projects worth ₹1,069 crore in Chittapur in Kalaburagi , the Congress president criticised the government’s stand on the Middle East crisis, India–US trade relations and tariff policies , and warned that such policies could harm the country’s farmers and weaken its global standing.

Kharge alleged that Trump was behaving like a “dictator” and claimed that Modi had become his “gulam” (slave) . He further alleged that the US leader was controlling the Prime Minister through the Jeffrey Epstein files , though he did not provide evidence for the claim.

Kharge warned that threatening or killing leaders of sovereign nations could destabilise global peace , citing recent events in Iran and suggesting such actions could escalate international tensions. He accused the United States of acting with “arrogance” and violating international law, contributing to instability in the Middle East. Kharge also criticised the India–US trade arrangement, claiming it was unfavourable to India and could harm Indian farmers, noting that about 65 % of the population depends on agriculture compared with only 3 % in the US. He further alleged that India’s energy purchases, previously based on affordability from countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela, were now influenced by external pressure rather than national interest.

Referring to the 30-day waiver reportedly given by the US to allow Indian refiners to buy Russian oil , Kharge questioned why the Prime Minister had not publicly responded to what he described as unfair treatment.

The Leader of Opposition in the Rajya Sabha also took aim at the government’s foreign policy, claiming that India once enjoyed significant global respect. He recalled the role of Jawaharlal Nehru in shaping the Non-Aligned Movement , which he said was aimed at promoting peace and strategic independence during the Cold War.

Kharge further accused the Prime Minister of focusing more on election campaigning across states such as Assam, West Bengal and Tamil Nadu instead of addressing global developments that could affect the country.

He warned that if global tensions escalate into conflict, ordinary and poor citizens would suffer the most , as the wealthy would have the means to relocate abroad while the poor would remain vulnerable.