Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi

New Delhi, Mar 24: Samajwadi Party (SP) president Akhilesh Yadav on Tuesday joined Congress leader Rahul Gandhi in criticising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s foreign policy, asserting that India’s approach is being “guided by the White House” amid the ongoing West Asia conflict.

Speaking on X, Yadav said, “The country’s foreign policy is no longer serving India’s interests but is being guided by signals from the White House. A compromised Prime Minister can never lead a self-respecting nation. Modi has pawned the nation’s pride to foreign powers.”

Earlier in the day, Gandhi had remarked outside Parliament that the Prime Minister’s foreign policy is effectively his “personal foreign policy” and called it a “universal joke.” He added that US President Donald Trump understands Modi’s limitations, stating, “If the Prime Minister is compromised, our foreign policy is also compromised.”

Gandhi also criticised Modi’s recent speech in the Lok Sabha as “irrelevant” and warned that economic pressures would rise, affecting LPG, petrol, fertilisers, and other sectors. He claimed the government had mishandled crises like Covid-19 and alleged that Modi follows the directions of the United States and Israel, rather than acting in India’s national interest.

Responding in the Rajya Sabha, Prime Minister Modi defended his government’s actions, highlighting India’s economic resilience. He said, “This present problem has shaken the economy of the entire world. It will take a lot of time for the world to recover from the loss in West Asia. Continuous efforts are underway to ensure that it has minimal side effects on India. Our economy’s fundamentals are strong, and the government is keeping a close watch on the changing situation. The government is working with a strategy to address the short-term, medium-term, and long-term effects.”

The exchange underscores growing political debate in India over the government’s handling of foreign policy amid regional tensions.