Arvind Kejriwal on Thursday mounted a fierce attack on the Centreโs trade policy, urging the government to strike back at Washington with higher import tariffs rather than yield to American pressure.
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The Aam Aadmi Party leader said India must respond firmly to the United Statesโ tariff regime, suggesting that if Washington imposes 50 per cent duties, New Delhi should reply with 100 per cent to protect its national interests.
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โOther countries did not bow down, they imposed higher tariffs. We should also impose higher tariffs. If the US is imposing 50 per cent tariffs, we should double it to 100 per cent. The whole country will support this decision. No country can afford to offend India. We are a nation of 140 crore people,โ Kejriwal told reporters in New Delhi.
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The Delhi chief minister did not stop at trade policy. He directed his sharpest words at US President Donald Trump, whom he described as โa faint-hearted man and a cowardโ, accusing him of retreating when confronted by resistance abroad.
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Kejriwalโs ire, however, was reserved for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he accused of submission to Washington. โI donโt understand what compels Modi ji to act so submissively before Trump. It appears as though he has bowed down under pressure,โ Kejriwal remarked.
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The AAP leader castigated the government for waiving the 11 per cent import duty on American cotton, warning that the move would inflict severe losses on farmers in Gujarat, Telangana, Punjab and Vidarbha. He argued that the waiver, effective between August 19 and September 30, would allow textile industries to procure cheaper cotton from the US, undermining domestic producers when their harvest comes to market in October.
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โIndia used to impose 11 per cent duty on cotton imported from America. This meant that the American cotton was costly than homegrown cotton. But the Modi government has decided to waive off this duty from August 19 till September 30. This means that textile industries will get cheaper cotton. When our cotton will come in the market for sale in October, there would be few takers,โ Kejriwal claimed.
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He insisted that India should have followed the example of the US by raising tariffs, not lowering them. โWe all know that US President Donald Trump has imposed 50 per cent tariffs. We should have increased the 11 per cent duty to 50 per cent and not waived it off completely,โ he added.
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Looking ahead, Kejriwal announced a large gathering in Chotila, Gujarat, on 7 September, where he plans to rally farmers and political parties against the Centreโs policy. โOn September 7, the AAP will hold a huge public meeting in Chotila, Gujarat over the issue. I urge all the political parties and farmersโ organisations to raise this issue. The farmers in Chotila are going to be heavily impacted by this decision of the Central government,โ he said.
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The clash over tariffs comes as trade tensions rise globally, with several governments taking retaliatory measures against Washingtonโs economic policies. Kejriwal has sought to cast the dispute as not only a matter of trade but of national pride and farmersโ survival.