Mayawati slams 'Trump Tariff Terror', seeks strong steps from BJP govt

Lucknow, Sep 7 (PTI) Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati on Sunday described the steep tariff hike imposed on Indian goods by the US as "Trump Tariff Terror" and urged the BJP-led Centre to initiate firm steps to deal with the situation.

"To deal with the situation emerging from the Trump Tariff Terror, it is imperative that the ruling BJP initiates strong and meaningful reforms for the benefit of the masses," she said.

"If this isn't done, problems plaguing the country's masses like poverty, inflation, unemployment, illiteracy, migration will become worse and affect the country's respect and global standing," she added.

Mayawati chaired a review meeting of the BSP in Lucknow on Sunday.

Her remarks came a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi "fully reciprocated" US President Donald Trump's "positive assessment" of the India-US partnership and his appreciation of the "special" relationship between the two nations, signalling an intent by both the sides to check the downturn in their ties.

The relations between New Delhi and Washington are on a major downturn after Trump doubled tariffs on Indian goods to a whopping 50 per cent including a 25 per cent additional duties for India's purchase of Russian crude oil. India described the US action as "unfair, unjustified and unreasonable".

The BSP chief's statement assumes significance as leading export hubs in UP are reeling under the impact of tariff imposed by the US on Indian imports, with exporters warning of job losses, stalled orders and shrinking market access.

Industry leaders from Noida, Kanpur and Varanasi said the tariff has put years of painstaking market-building at risk, even as protests and demonstrations erupted in several districts in August.

The protests and statements follow similar concerns raised by carpet exporters in Bhadohi, mentha oil producers in Rampur, and brassware exporters in Moradabad.

Bhadohi MLA Zahid Beg of the Samajwadi Party had written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, seeking his intervention in support of the district's famed carpet industry, much of which depends on exports.

He earlier wrote to UP Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath as well, seeking a special bailout package to save the carpet industry, which employs 30 lakh people. PTI NAV MAN OZ OZ