Modi failed to articulate India's concerns in US visit: Congress

Attacking Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Congress on Wednesday called him a "weak Prime Minister" who had failed to "firmly" articulate India's interests and concerns during his meeting with US President Donald Trump.

"India has a weak Prime Minister," Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi wrote on his Twitter handle.

He attached two news reports relating to Modi's last month visit to the US. One of the reports said that Modi did not raise the H1-B visa issue during his talks with Trump.

The other report related to India's acceptance of the term "India administered Kashmir" by the US State Department in its order designating Hizb-ul-Mujahideen leader Syed Salahuddin a global terrorist.

Senior Congress leader Anand Sharma said that Modi's visit was "purely transactional" during which he failed to "firmly articulate India's interests and convey India's concerns".

"We had cautioned the Prime Minister before he went to the US that he should secure credible and firm assurances from US President Donald Trump on the H1-B visa issue and on unhindered movement of Indian professionals," Sharma said.

He said it was Modi's "duty" to convey in "unequivocal terms" that the movement of highly-skilled professionals cannot be equated with immigration, but the Prime Minister failed to do so.

"The Prime Minister has singularly failed... It can only point to one direction that he lacks the courage of conviction which is a matter of great sadness for this country," the Congress leader said.

In a jibe at Modi, Sharma said that diplomacy needs seriousness and is not just a "photo opportunity".

"Diplomacy cannot be advanced only by hugs and handshakes. Nor can the national interest be secured through them," he said.

--IANS

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