New Delhi: Congress leader and Lok Sabha Leader of Opposition Rahul Gandhi on Saturday sharply criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi following US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose a USD 100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications.
In a post on X, Rahul Gandhi recalled his 2017 warning to PM Modi, highlighting that the government had failed to act on the issue even when Trump was in his first term. He said, “…Crores of youth of this country are going to face a loss…Trump is insulting us every day. But the PM is silent.”
Senior Congress MP Manish Tewari echoed Gandhi’s concerns, alleging that the US was acting deliberately against India. “The US is systematically turning on the screws on India. What happened with regard to the H-1B visa is no coincidence at all…for reasons which are inexplicable and understandable, the US is deliberately being belligerent towards India and it does not augur well for India-US relations,” he said.
Congress spokesperson Pawan Khera added, “This is not a new development. Rahul Gandhi had alerted PM Modi on 5th July 2017 that this was going to happen. But he was a weak PM back then and even today…Had he spoken up, the country would have stood with him. Today, the entire country is questioning the PM.”
The controversy follows Trump’s presidential proclamation titled “Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers”, which introduces a USD 100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications, effective from September 21. The measure is aimed at curbing alleged misuse of the H-1B programme by firms accused of displacing American workers and suppressing wages.
The proclamation states that the H-1B visa’s original purpose of attracting highly skilled talent has been distorted, and notes national security concerns, including visa fraud and money laundering cases involving some companies. Employers must provide proof of payment when filing H-1B petitions, with limited exemptions allowed for national interest cases.
