<p>Veteran Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan stoked a major controversy in the wake of the international debate involving the United States-Venezuela standoff saying - “Will Trump Sahab kidnap our Prime Minister” - a statement that he made in respect of the tariff issue between India and America. </p><p>“With a 50 percent tariff, trade is simply not possible,” said Chavan, a former Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office.</p><p>Chavan linked the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the CIA-backed Delta Force-executed unprecedented operation with the India-US tariff issue.</p><p>The 2025 tariffs have been a big diplomatic issue between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.</p><p>“The high 50 per cent tariff amounts to blocking India–US trade, especially exports from India to the United States. Since a direct ban cannot be imposed, tariffs have been used as a tool to stop trade. India will have to bear this,” said Chavan. </p><p>“We will have to look for alternative markets, and efforts in that direction are already underway.... The question then is: what next?….Will something like what happened in Venezuela happen in India? Will Trump Sahab kidnap our Prime Minister?,” he added in what sparked off a controversy. </p><p>Chavan faced immediate backlash on social media platforms even as the BJP hit out at the former Chief Minister.</p>
<p>Veteran Congress leader and former Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan stoked a major controversy in the wake of the international debate involving the United States-Venezuela standoff saying - “Will Trump Sahab kidnap our Prime Minister” - a statement that he made in respect of the tariff issue between India and America. </p><p>“With a 50 percent tariff, trade is simply not possible,” said Chavan, a former Minister of State in the Prime Minister's Office.</p><p>Chavan linked the capture of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro in the CIA-backed Delta Force-executed unprecedented operation with the India-US tariff issue.</p><p>The 2025 tariffs have been a big diplomatic issue between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump.</p><p>“The high 50 per cent tariff amounts to blocking India–US trade, especially exports from India to the United States. Since a direct ban cannot be imposed, tariffs have been used as a tool to stop trade. India will have to bear this,” said Chavan. </p><p>“We will have to look for alternative markets, and efforts in that direction are already underway.... The question then is: what next?….Will something like what happened in Venezuela happen in India? Will Trump Sahab kidnap our Prime Minister?,” he added in what sparked off a controversy. </p><p>Chavan faced immediate backlash on social media platforms even as the BJP hit out at the former Chief Minister.</p>