'Upset over its sinking fortunes': Sambit Patra slams Cong ahead of 'Namaste, Trump' event

BJP spokesperson Sambit Patra on Saturday, February 22, slammed Congress for their criticism of the ‘Namaste, President Trump’ event. He underlined the importance of India-US relationship to the country and the world. Patra further explained India’s relationship with the US during the UPA regime.

Sambit Patra slams Congress 

Talking about Congress, Patra said, “Why is the Congress Party unhappy when India's stature is being raised globally? Whenever there is happiness in the air, why is the Congress party unhappy? There are sometimes which come in any nation when we keep aside our smaller identities as political parties & think as one nation. This is one such moment when one of the largest democracies in the world will be meeting one of the oldest democracies in the world. Mr Trump has himself said multiple times that India is a hard bargainer. The Congress Party should not worry about India's interests.” 

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“This is a landmark moment in Indo-US ties, but Congress is worried about its own sinking fortunes. My advice to Congress is - start taking pride in the nation's achievements. Does the Congress party mean to state that Indo-US relations were not important till 2014? We must remember that PM Modi had intervened and invited the then-President Mr Barrack Obama as the chief guest for Republic Day celebrations in India,” he said. 

Patra further added, “From Sochi to Mamallapuram to now Trump's visit, PM Modi has worked extra time and extremely hard to make important bilateral ties with India and ensure that these bilateral relationships jump to the next leadership level. Regional forums like JAI (Japan-America-India), RIC (Russia, India, China) have been given added impetus only under PM Modi. This has enabled a fast growth in India's global projection. Close cooperation with them has ensured that India remains the front and centre of Trump's White House strategic blueprint.” 

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“From trade deal that factors in India's interest to latest cutting-edge defence equipment, the US have offered deals and equipment which have never before been offered to India in the UPA era. India and the US have worked together to ensure counter-terrorism cooperation which has reached a level never seen before. The designation of dreaded terrorists by International agencies including the UN is a very tangible outcome of this,” he said.  

Patra questions Congress 

Sambit Patra added, “The BJP takes this occasion of questioning the Congress Party. What do they have to say in defence? What did they achieve after 26/11? We got the grey-listing of Pakistan through the FATF done. Able agreements like COMCASA and ISA with BECA are all to be signed shortly and are in the public domain. It has ensured that the US cutting across advanced sectors like defence & space now shares the latest tech with India. What are Congress' achievements?” 

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He said, “India and the US now regularly engage at the highest level through formats like 2+2 and the mini 2+2 enabling our ministers and secretaries to be in close touch not with just their US counterparts, but with other US treaty allies like Japan, South Korea and Australia. Did 10 Janpath ever allow, even the then PM Dr Manmohan Singh, to develop such rapport with his international colleagues?” 

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