The Congress on Sunday criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi after his return from a week-long visit to the United States, PTI reported. The party said Modi’s meeting with US President Donald Trump failed to meet India’s expectations despite the public display of friendship at the “Howdy, Modi” rally in Houston.

Congress leader Anand Sharma said the euphoria over the prime minister’s visit to the United Nations was misplaced. He asked the Bharatiya Janata Party to focus on real problems in the country and not deflect public attention from them by engaging in “boastful campaign propaganda”.

“There were no tangible outcomes of the visit which would justify the BJP celebration,” said Sharma. “The prime minister was unsuccessful in persuading US President Trump to restore the Generalised System of Preference for Indian exports to US markets, withdrawal of reduction in number of H1-B visas for Indian professionals and steep hike in fee.”

The BJP had organised a grand welcome for the prime minister outside the Palam Technical Area on Saturday. Thousands of party workers attended the event.

Threat from Pakistan

Sharma said the Congress was in complete agreement with the stand taken by Modi on Pakistan, and the continuing threat of terrorism. “We congratulate the PM for reiterating India’s firm and consistent position that the state of Jammu and Kashmir is an integral part of India and its accession is final and irrevocable,” he added.

The Congress leader condemned Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan’s statements at the United Nations General Assembly. “The language of Pakistan PM was unbecoming of a prime minister and has no place in any civilised discourse,” Sharma said.

Modi’s meetings with heads of other states and governments at the UNGA was a routine affair, and do not have any “special significance” as projected by the BJP, the Congress leader claimed.

“PM seems to be carried away by his own propaganda and disconnected with the harsh ground realities of deepening economic crisis, falling investments, crashing industrial production, loss of jobs and wages and collapsing demand and consumption,” said Sharma.

Also read: The Indian media saw Modi’s US visit as a great success. But Americans themselves barely noticed it

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