Political Flashpoint: Owaisi Questions BJP-RSS Nationalism Over Trump’s Tariff Warning

AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi has once again launched a sharp attack on the BJP and the RSS, this time linking his criticism to recent remarks made by former US President Donald Trump on India’s oil imports from Russia. Speaking at a public gathering, Owaisi accused the ruling establishment of selective nationalism and questioned its silence on what he termed as external pressure on India’s sovereign decisions. Referring to Trump’s statement warning of an additional 25 percent tariff if India continued purchasing Russian oil, Owaisi asked whether such threats aligned with the BJP-RSS narrative of strong nationalism. He questioned why aggressive rhetoric is often directed internally, while global pressure from powerful nations is met with restraint. In a sarcastic tone, Owaisi remarked that BJP and RSS supporters remember him more frequently than they remember Russia, adding that while they may be emotionally invested in targeting him, he does not reciprocate the sentiment. He further questioned whether India’s petroleum policy is dictated by its elected ministers or by foreign leaders, directly naming Petroleum Minister Hardeep Singh Puri while challenging the idea of external interference. Owaisi also criticized what he described as racial undertones in Trump’s remarks and accused the ruling dispensation of ignoring such language. He argued that true patriotism lies in defending India’s independent policy choices, not in selective outrage.