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'PM Modi Acts In India's Interest': Sitharaman Slams Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Mata Sold' Remark
'PM Modi Acts In India's Interest': Sitharaman Slams Rahul Gandhi's 'Bharat Mata Sold' Remark
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday came down heavily on leader of opposition in the Lok Sabha Rahul Gandhi over his “Bharat Mata sold" remark as he hit out at the Centre over the India-US interim trade agreement.
Sitharaman said while Prime Minister Narendra Modi “always acts in India's interest", it was the previous Congress regime that “sold farmers".
“PM Modi will always act in India's interest whereas Congress govt surrendered before WTO, sold poor, farmers during its regime," said Sitharaman, replying to the debate in the Lok Sabha on the Union Budget 2026.
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Reacting to Gandhi's speech, she called his concerns over India's data “incorrect" and said she would like to respond to all the points he made. She said India is incentivising data centres so that the data stays in the country.
“…I would like to answer all his (Rahul Gandhi's) points. He expressed concerns over AI and data, that India's data is going out to foreign countries. This is not correct," she said in the Lok Sabha. “We are incentivising data centres through which data can remain in India and Indian youth can get jobs. Without understanding this, he is saying we are giving our data to foreign countries."
Sitharaman later posted a video clip of her speech in the Lok Sabha and said the ‘India AI Mission' has a dedicated allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for 2026-2027.
“Leader of the Opposition Shri Rahul Gandhi expressed concerns over Artificial Intelligence and data. I want to tell that we are incentivising setting up of Cloud and Data Centres in India, so that the data is stored here and our youth gets employment opportunities. The India AI Mission has a dedicated allocation of Rs 1,000 crore for 2026-27," she posted on X.
Leader of the Opposition Shri @RahulGandhi expressed concerns over Artificial Intelligence and data. I want to tell that we are incentivising setting up of Cloud and Data Centres in India, so that the data is stored here and our youth gets employment opportunities. The India… pic.twitter.com/4JpQwDXkhy— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) February 11, 2026
Gandhi, meanwhile, wrote a lengthy post on X and reiterated his stance that a “helpless" Modi has “surrendered to the US chokehold" in the trade deal. He claimed that under the pretext of “clearing barriers to digital trade", every move to use own data for own benefit will be opposed.
“…in a few days, the government is hosting a grand AI Summit. It should have been an opportunity for India to assert leadership – to demonstrate how a country of 1.4 billion people can use our data to shape the global AI future ON OUR OWN TERMS. Instead, a helpless PM Modi, has surrendered to the US ‘chokehold' in the trade deal. Under the pretext of ‘clearing barriers to digital trade', every move to use our data for our own benefit will be opposed. Already, large foreign companies enjoy a near monopoly on our data through Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp, Youtube, Amazon, Android, etc. With this deal, India will struggle to: Safely store the data of 1.5 billion Indians in India; get transparency in their source codes and algorithms; tax the profits they make using our data. It's a shame that our Prime Minister has been pressured to hand over India's prime resource to a foreign power," he wrote on X.
The AI revolution is here – bringing both threats and opportunities. Our IT and services sector, a shining star of our economy, is at risk, and thousands of software engineers and professionals will lose their livelihoods if we do not prepare for the storm that is coming. But…— Rahul Gandhi (@RahulGandhi) February 11, 2026
Sitharaman further targeted Gandhi over his “traitor" remark about his former party colleague Ravneet Singh Bittu. She said while the Congress leader told Jagdambika Pal — who was on the Chair — that he respects him for his past in the Congress, he did not show the same courtesy to Bittu, also formerly from his party.
“LoP Rahul Gandhi spoke on several issues. He spoke the language of Jujutsu and Martial Art – grip and control. He also told Jagdambika Pal, who was on the Chair, that he respects him because he was once in his party. But he called Bittu a traitor, who was also once in his party," she said.
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Speaking on the India-US interim trade deal, Gandhi accused the Centre of compromising national interests and asked whether it was “not ashamed of selling India".
He alleged that the central government has effectively “sold Bharat Mata". He said while it has acknowledged that the world is facing a global storm, with the era of a single superpower coming to an end, intensifying geopolitical conflicts, and the weaponisation of energy and finance, it has allowed the United States to weaponise energy and financial systems in ways that affect India.
“You yourself admit that we are facing a global storm – that the era of one superpower is over, that geopolitical conflicts are intensifying, and that energy and finance are being weaponised. Yet, despite acknowledging this reality, you have allowed the United States to weaponise energy and financial systems in ways that impact us. When America says we cannot buy oil from a particular country, it effectively means our energy security is being dictated externally – that energy itself is being weaponised against us. Are you not ashamed of this? I am saying you have compromised India's interests. Have you no shame in what you are doing? It is as though you have sold ‘Bharat Mata'," he said.
ALSO READ | India-US Trade Deal Row: Congress's Old ‘Cold War Secrets' Stir New Political Storm
In another attack on Modi, Gandhi further said he did not believe the Prime Minister would “sell India" under normal circumstances but claimed that external pressure was being exerted on him.
“The interesting thing is that I know that the Prime Minister would not sell India under normal circumstances. You know why he sold India? Because they are choking him. They have got a grip on his neck… We can see fear in the eyes of the Prime Minister," he added.
He also raised concerns over tariffs, saying the average tariff had increased from around 3 percent to 18 percent, a sixfold rise. He claimed that US imports into India are projected to increase from USD 46 billion to USD 146 billion. Calling the situation “absurd", he alleged that India was committing to increase imports by nearly 100 billion dollars annually without receiving firm commitments in return.
“Secondly, what have you done on tariffs? Earlier, the average tariff stood at around 3 percent. It has now risen to 18 percent – a six-fold increase. At the same time, US imports into India are projected to rise from 46 billion dollars to 146 billion dollars. This is absurd. Absolutely absurd. There is no firm commitment from the United States towards us, yet we are committing to increase imports by nearly 100 billion dollars annually. We are making concessions, but receiving nothing concrete in return. It appears as though we are standing there like fools. Our tariffs have increased from 3 percent to 18 percent, while theirs have reportedly fallen from 16 per cent to zero," he said.
(With agency inputs)
Source: News18
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