NEW DELHI – The Congress party on Tuesday strongly criticized the US government’s travel advisory on India, cautioning citizens against traveling to the country due to crime and terrorism threats.
Party spokesperson Supriya Shrinate expressed surprise over the silence of the Government of India on this matter, which may have far-reaching consequences for the country.
“We question the government’s silence on this serious development. It is ironic that a country like Pakistan, which shields terrorists, doesn’t have such an advisory, while India, the fourth-largest economy in the world and the land of Gandhi, does,” Shrinate said at a press conference.
The Congress leader pointed out that this is yet another diplomatic failure of the Modi government, which has been trying to appease the US government.
“The same country under the same leader whom Modi had gone out of the way to appease by organizing shows like Howdy Modi, Namaste Trump, and Ab ki Baar Trump Sarkar is repeatedly heaping insults on India,” she said.
Sharinate expressed concerns about the adverse impact of the travel advisory on India’s image and prestige on the global stage, as well as on tourism and investments in the country.
“This will not only harm India’s image but also impact everybody’s life in the country,” she added.
Highlighting the safety and security of women in India, citing statistics that 45 crimes are reported against women every hour in the country, the Congress spokesperson also criticized the BJP government for patronizing culprits responsible for heinous crimes against women, particularly rape.
“Truth is that you have not been able to provide justice to 50% of the population in the country, and you have miserably failed to secure India’s interests in the world,” Shrinate remarked.
The grand old party has urged the Union Government to take up the issue with the USA authorities, highlighting serious concerns, particularly regarding women’s safety and security in the country.
