Nagpur (Maharashtra) [India], March 9: Patanjali Founder Baba Ramdev strongly criticized US President Donald Trump’s decision to impose reciprocal tariffs starting April 2, calling it “tariff terrorism.” Ramdev expressed concern that Trump’s actions pose a serious threat to democracy, particularly for poor and developing nations.
The yoga guru accused Trump of undermining global institutions such as the World Trade Organization (WTO) and the United Nations, saying, “Trump has ripped off democracy by threatening poor and developing nations.” He further emphasized that Trump’s rise to power marked the beginning of what he termed a new era of intellectual colonization, pointing out that the US president had set a “new world record” of imposing “tariff terrorism.”
Ramdev also spoke out against the increasing value of the US dollar, which has led to the depreciation of currencies in poorer nations, calling it “economic terrorism.” He urged India to focus on becoming a developed nation, adding that all Indians should unite to strengthen the country and counteract these “destructive powers.”
In a recent address to a joint session of the US Congress, Trump had targeted India’s import duties and outlined plans to impose tariffs on other nations based on their trade policies with the US. He stated that these reciprocal tariffs would take effect on April 2, accusing nearly every country of taking advantage of the US for decades.
Meanwhile, Congress leader Jairam Ramesh questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government over Trump’s comments, specifically his statement that India had agreed to reduce tariffs. Ramesh expressed concerns over whether India’s farmers and manufacturers would be compromised by any potential deal. He urged the Modi government to clarify its position when Parliament resumes on March 10.