"Foreign policy is weak": Akhilesh Yadav slams Centre over H-1B visa fee hike

Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh) [India], September 20 (ANI): Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav on Saturday slammed the Centre as the Trump administration imposed a USD 100,000 annual charge for H-1B visas and called foreign policy "weak".
Addressing a press conference, Akhilesh Yadav questioned the central government's preparation to deal with the US' move as it is likely to affect the IT and technology sector.
He said, "Investment was raised in Uttar Pradesh; Infosys, Samsung and other companies came (to UP). It is not the first time America has behaved in such a manner. Our foreign policy is weak. What is the preparation if other nations do the same?"
Further, he claimed that India is dependent on other nations for goods, including oil, and alleged several mistakes in handling the economy.
"After the WTO, other mistakes are being made due to which we are not looking economically strengthened. We are dependent on other countries for everything, including oil. The list is long. We are still doing business with a country that has taken away our land many times," he said.
Akhilesh's criticism comes after the US president on Friday (local time) issued a new presidential proclamation titled "Restriction on Entry of Certain Nonimmigrant Workers" that introduces a major overhaul to the H-1B visa programme, imposing a steep USD 100,000 annual fee on H-1B visa applications, raising fresh questions about whether this is a much-needed correction or a potentially crippling blow to America's tech talent pipeline.
The move is likely to affect the Indians looking for jobs in the technology and IT sectors in the US, and has led to strong criticism from the Opposition.
Earlier, Congress leader Pawan Khera criticised PM Modi's silence on the issue and claimed that US President Donald Trump insults India every day.
The Congress leader also claimed that if the Prime Minister had announced on the floor that Trump is a liar, the whole country would have supported him.
"Trump is insulting us every day. But the PM is silent. Rahul Gandhi gave him an opportunity to say on the Floor of the House that Trump is a liar. Had he said that, the country would have stood with him. Today, the entire country is questioning the PM." Khera told ANI.
He stated that Rahul Gandhi warned PM Modi in 2017 about a potential H-1B-like order, but PM Modi did nothing.
"This is not a new development. On 5th July 2017, Rahul Gandhi had tweeted and alerted PM Modi that this was going to happen and do something. But he was a weak PM back then and even today. You have the result today...Crores of youth of this country are going to face a loss," said Khera.
Meanwhile, the revised visa fee is set to take effect on September 21. The proclamation represents one of the Trump administration's most aggressive efforts yet to overhaul the H-1B visa programme. (ANI)