Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav has criticized the BJP government over the increase in visa fees by the United States. He stated that an emergency has been imposed on India’s foreign policy under the BJP’s rule. He accused the government of failing to protect the country from arbitrary tariffs and visa fees.
He further alleged that the central government has failed to protect Indians residing abroad from violent attacks. Yadav wrote on social media platform X that the foreign policy under the BJP’s rule has been akin to an emergency. He claimed that the government has completely failed to protect the country from arbitrary tariffs and visa fees.
He also said that the BJP government has failed in adhering to the country’s historical policy of non-alignment and maintaining relations with neighboring countries. Yadav asserted that Indian expatriates are facing handcuffs, shackles, and public humiliation, and the government has failed to protect them from violent attacks. He added that no country has supported India on the issue of terrorism, and the BJP government has completely disregarded foreign policy.
The Samajwadi Party leader criticized the central government over the increase in H1-B visa fees by the United States, which is likely to affect many Indians.
He stated, “Your foreign policy has failed abroad. Your economic policies have failed. You have failed in building relationships.”
Yadav also targeted Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, alleging that he wants guns instead of books in the hands of people. He said that Indians will get relief in visas only when the central government led by Narendra Modi is ousted from power.
US President Donald Trump signed a memorandum on Friday, under which the fees for H-1B visas will increase up to $1,00,000 US dollars (88 lakh rupees) annually. This new move by the Trump administration to crack down on immigration is likely to affect thousands of Indian professionals.
White House staff secretary Will Scharf said that the H-1B non-immigrant visa program is one of the most abused visa systems in the country’s current immigration system, and the increase in visa fees is only intended to allow entry into the United States to highly skilled workers who work in areas where Americans are not employed.