New Delhi, Dec 6 (IANS) Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday stirred a hornet’s nest by insinuating a Venezuela-like operation in India and asking whether the US forces will conduct a similar operation to what they did to their incumbent President.

Prithviraj Chavan, speaking to IANS, hurled a poser, “Will something like what happened in Venezuela happen in India? Will Mr Trump kidnap our Prime Minister?”

The controversial remarks by the former Maharashtra Chief Minister are set to create a major stir in political circles, drawing strong backlash and tirade from the BJP.

The Congress leader, having questioned the efficacy of Indian forces as well as Operation Sindoor in the past, is already facing a barrage of angry retorts and ridicule on social media over the controversial remarks, hinting at an operation in India similar to Venezuela.

Congress leader’s stinging remarks come in the backdrop of the US President’s alleged threat to enhance tariffs on India, if the latter doesn’t fall in line.

“With 50 per cent tariff, trade is simply not possible. In effect, this amounts to blocking India–US trade, especially exports from India to the United States. Since a direct ban cannot be imposed, tariffs have been used as a tool to stop trade. India will have to bear this,” Chavan stated.

Speaking about the impact of the US’ unilateral 50 per cent tariffs on India, he said, “The profits that our people earlier earned from exports to the US will no longer be available. We will have to look for alternative markets, and efforts in that direction are already underway.”

“He (Trump) may impose more taxes, it hardly matters as the trade between the two nations has already come to a standstill,” he further said, speaking about Trump’s purported threat to India to escalate tariffs to ‘rein in’ India.

Last month, the Congress leader was in the firing line over his questioning of the Indian military’s capabilities during Operation Sindoor.

Speaking to the press, he had said that India was defeated by Pakistan on Day 1 of Operation Sindoor and during the aerial clash on May 7, Indian aircraft were almost ‘grounded’ as there was a risk of being shot down by Pakistan.

The fresh row, triggered by Chavan’s distasteful comment, comes in the backdrop of a geopolitical crisis stemming from the abduction of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro and his wife Cilia Flores in a special stealth operation by the US forces.

Yesterday, a video of Donald Trump dominated the social media discourse as he was heard warning about stepping up tariffs on India if the latter doesn’t reduce oil imports from Russia.

“They do trade. And, we can raise tariffs on them very quickly, and it would be very bad for them,” Trump told reporters while on board Air Force One.

He also said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a “good guy”, and he knew that I was not happy, and it was important to make me happy.

–IANS

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