'Will Trump kidnap our prime minister?' Prithviraj Chavan draws flak for remarks linking Venezuela action to India

Referring to the recent nighttime US operation in Venezuela, Chavan asked, “Will something like what happened in Venezuela happen in India? Will Mr Trump kidnap our prime minister?”

The remark was widely mocked online, with many users calling it absurd and inappropriate, particularly given India’s status as a sovereign nuclear power.

Former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police S.P. Vaid strongly criticised Chavan’s statement, calling it “humiliating for the entire country.” Questioning the intent behind the comment, Vaid said such remarks demean India’s sovereignty and raise troubling questions about the Congress party’s political thinking.

The controversy comes amid heightened political attacks by Congress leaders over India-US relations, particularly following comments by former US President Donald Trump on trade and energy issues.

Chavan’s remarks followed Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge’s criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi over Trump’s statements on India’s purchase of Russian oil and US-imposed tariffs.

Chavan had earlier warned that steep US tariffs—up to 50 per cent—would severely impact India-US trade, arguing that such measures effectively block Indian exports to the US. He said India would be forced to explore alternative markets as export profits decline.

Kharge, meanwhile, cited an audio clip in which Trump claimed that Prime Minister Modi was willing to reduce Russian oil imports to “make him happy.”

Kharge used the comment to allege that Modi was under US pressure, drawing a cinematic comparison to the Bollywood villain Mogambo to underscore his criticism.

Despite the political sparring, official data shows resilience in trade ties. India’s merchandise exports to the US rose 22.61 per cent year-on-year to $6.98 billion in November, even amid higher tariffs.

Between April and November of the current fiscal year, exports to the US increased by 11.38 percent to $59.04 billion, while imports rose by 13.49 percent to $35.4 billion.