• Source:JND
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Trump H-1 Visa Fee Hike: US President Donald Trump's recent move to tighten H-1B visa regulations has sparked widespread debates and outrage in India. The announcement of a steep hike in the H-1B visa fee, raising it to USD 100,000 per year, will significantly impact Indian professionals, who constitute a large share of the H-1B visa holders.

The decision has drawn significant criticism from across the nation, with the Opposition parties using the development to target Prime Minister Narendra Modi. Congress leader and Leader of Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Rahul Gandhi, along with several other opposition leaders, launched a scathing attack on PM Modi on Saturday, saying, “I repeat, India has a weak PM.”

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Rahul Gandhi Slams Modi For H-1B Fee Hike, Calls PM "Weak"

Following Trump’s announcement, Rahul Gandhi launched a sharp attack on PM Modi. Sharing an article highlighting that 71 per cent of H-1B visa holders are Indian nationals, Gandhi said, “I repeat, India has a weak PM.”

Pawan Khera’s “'The Country Is Questioning the PM’s Silence” Remark

Congress leader Pawan Khera added to the criticism, saying that the Indian public is questioning PM Modi’s silence on the matter. “Crores of youth in this country are going to suffer... Trump is insulting us every day. But the PM remains silent. Rahul Gandhi gave him a chance to speak on the Floor of the House that Trump is a liar. Had he done that, the country would have stood with him. Today, the entire country is questioning the PM,” Khera said.

Khera referred to Gandhi’s demand earlier in July, when he challenged PM Modi to respond to the US President’s repeated claims of mediating peace between India and Pakistan and call him a “liar.”

Akhilesh Yadav Criticises India’s Foreign Policy And Growing Dependence

Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav also took a swipe at India’s foreign policy saying that this is not the first US move likely to harm India. "Our foreign policy is only weak. What is our preparation if other nations do the same thing tomorrow? ... We are becoming dependent on other nations. For fertilisers and oil, we are dependent on other nations,” news agency ANI quoted Akhilesh as saying.

He further targeted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, accusing the BJP leader of discouraging people from going abroad. “Try to remember, he (apparently referring to Adityanath) does not want anyone to go abroad, neither for studies nor for work, but only to operate guns. (People) can go to Russia, join the army (there). Go to Israel, and fight along with its army. Those with H-1B visas should not go for good jobs,” Hindustan Times quoted Yadav as saying.

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Arvind Kejriwal Calls PM ‘Helpless’ And Urges Him To Take Action

Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Arvind Kejriwal strongly criticised PM Modi over Trump’s steep hike in H-1B visa fee, asking whether the “Prime Minister of 140 crore people is helpless” and urged him to “at least do something.”

“Prime Minister ji, kuchh toh karo (do something at least),” Kejriwal wrote on X in Hindi. "Why is the Prime Minister of 140 crore people so helpless in the end? Can't you handle anything at all?” Kejriwal said.

US President Trump’s announcement came at a time when hopes for a revival in India-US relations were gaining pace. The move follows a period of tension between the two countries, particularly over trade, after the Trump administration imposed a 50 per cent tariff on Indian imports over Russia's oil purchase.