Is India's Prime Minister Weak? Rahul Gandhi Critiques H-1B Visa Fee Increase

New Delhi, Sep 20 (NationPress) The Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, expressed strong criticism towards Prime Minister Narendra Modi, labeling him as "weak" following the concerning consequences for Indians stemming from the recent US decision to raise the H-1B visa fees.

In a post on X, Gandhi asserted, "I repeat, India has a weak PM."

He shared a news article that illustrates how 71 percent of H-1B visas are held by Indians, who stand to be adversely affected by President Donald Trump's move to escalate the annual fee for these visas to $100,000, up from the previous range of $1,700-$4,500.

Additionally, Gandhi reposted a message he had shared on social media back on July 5, 2017, reiterating, "India has a weak PM."

This five-year-old statement was paired with two news articles titled 'H-1B didn’t figure in Modi-Trump talks' and 'MEA accepts U.S. use of ‘administered Kashmir’.

Gandhi's renewed critique of PM Modi aligns with the Congress party's disapproval of the US's actions, which they claim are not unprecedented and trace the deterioration of relations to the Centre's policies.

Previously, Congress MP Manoj Kumar stated to IANS, "This is not new. They have already imposed tariffs. Now, Trump is doing this. The whole of India knows what Trump is doing, what his desires are, and what actions he is taking.

"On one side, you claim our Prime Minister is exceptional and a close ally of Trump, yet on the other side, you are imposing such exorbitant fees on H-1B visas. Why is Trump doing this? He believes he is a king, and by doing this, he will succeed. But in India, we will stand our ground. Whatever policies he is implementing, he is digging his own grave."

Congress leader Surendra Rajput remarked, "The US continuously acts like an adversary while asserting that PM Modi is their ally. Trump is affecting 1.4 billion Indians.

"There are three prominent examples: First, he raised the H-1B visa fees. Yesterday, the US canceled the sanctions waiver on Iran’s Chabahar port, which India uses for trade with Russia, Afghanistan, and the Middle East -- without involving Pakistan. That was stopped too. Furthermore, he imposed a 50 percent tariff on Indian imports. If Modi’s ally behaves this way, he is not genuinely a friend of India. And merely because Trump tweeted on PM Modi’s birthday does not signify friendship."

In the meantime, according to the US proclamation, every application will now necessitate a fee of $100,000 per year—an effort to limit the misuse of the visa program and promote the hiring of domestic workers.

The H-1B visa program serves as a temporary work permit in the US, enabling American businesses to recruit international talent for specialized roles.

The proclamation asserted that the H-1B visa program has been "deliberately exploited to replace, rather than supplement, American workers with lower-paid, lower-skilled labor" and is jeopardizing both "our economic and national security."

President Trump also enacted an executive order establishing a gold card program, allowing individuals to obtain a visa for $1 million and corporations for $2 million.

The H-1B visa program, limited to 85,000 new visas annually, has allowed US companies to employ skilled foreign workers in sectors like technology and engineering. This latest development is anticipated to significantly affect major American tech firms as well.