Quarrel between Congress-BJP leaders over President Trump’s Visit

New Delhi (21/02/2020): Congress has said it has not received any invitation yet for the leaders to meet US President Donald Trump on his upcoming visit to India. Spokesperson Anand Sharma said “We have not received any invitation from the government side and neither from the US.”

When asked about it, Sharma said, “If any invitation will come then we will take a view on it.”

Also, leader of opposition Ghulam Nabi Azad may be invited to the President’s reception but the party chief has not been given any invite. Congress is the principal opposition party and visiting foreign dignitaries also meet Congress leaders like Sri Lankan Prime Minister Mahinda Rajpaksa met Rahul Gandhi and Manmohan Singh during his visit.

The Congress expressed apprehension as some recent events have cast a shadow on the Indo-US relationship. The US abolished the Generalised System of Preferences despite being in an important partnership with India. This eliminates the opportunity for goods produced in India to enter the US market at low costs.

Congress said that any relationship with the US should be a standalone relationship and it should not affect India’s relationship with other countries including Russia as India should not accept a “big brother” treatment from the US and it should be on an equal footing, said Sharma.

The Congress said that this visit by the US President is important for both countries – in terms of partnership and cooperation in the fields of defence, economy, nuclear energy, space, agriculture and technology.

“Three things that need to be kept in mind in this journey are – sovereignty, self-respect and national interest of India,” Sharma added.