Congress leader Rahul Gandhi said on Friday that steep US tariffs are exposing India’s “dead economy” and killing jobs in the country’s textile sector. Warning of job losses, factory shutdowns and shrinking orders, he asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi to urgently secure a trade deal with Washington that protects Indian workers and businesses.
Sharing a video from his recent visit to a garment factory in Haryana, Gandhi said 50 per cent US tariffs and policy uncertainty are badly hurting textile exporters and pushing one of India’s largest employment generators into crisis.
"These tariffs and uncertainty are badly hurting India’s textile exporters. Job losses, factory shutdowns and reduced orders are a reality of our ‘dead economy’," Gandhi posted on X.
"Mr. Modi has offered no relief or even spoken about tariffs, even though more than 4.5 crore jobs and lakhs of businesses are at stake. Modi ji, you are accountable; please direct your attention to this matter," the Lok Sabha's Leader of Opposition tweeted, using the hashtag TINA (There Is No Accountability).
Taking a dig at the Prime Minister, Gandhi said Modi must not allow his “own weakness” to hurt the economy any further. He urged the government to prioritise a trade deal with the US that puts Indian interests first.
Calling the textile sector the second-largest employer in India, Gandhi said the industry globally admired for its craftsmanship is now gripped by uncertainty. Besides US tariffs, exporters are grappling with falling prices in Europe and intense competition from Bangladesh and China, he said.
The video shows Gandhi taking a round of the factory floor, interacting with workers and management and trying his hand at cutting cloth. The Congress leader said the visit underlined the skill and resilience of Indian workers. “What they need is genuine government support,” he added.
Also read: Endorsing Trump on 'dead economy', Rahul does no good to himself
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