Modi Criticized for Policy Compliance with Washington's Demands

The Congress has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of losing his authority, citing alleged claims by RSS leader Ram Madhav that Modi is influenced by the United States. Congress general secretary K C Venugopal publicized a video featuring Madhav discussing India's purported agreements to halt oil imports from Iran and Russia, along with accepting elevated tariffs imposed by the U.S.

Madhav, however, later retracted his statement, clarifying his comments were incorrect, specifically denying any agreement to stop Russian oil imports and noting India's protest to the tariff hikes. In response, Madhav issued an apology for his 'factually incorrect' remarks, attributing his comment to miscommunication during a panel discussion.

The incident sparked criticism from Congress, with Venugopal labeling Modi as a compromised leader. The controversy draws parallels to past Indo-U.S. relations, reinforcing Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and the opposition's stance on Modi's foreign policy approach.

(With inputs from agencies.)