'How can Musk write this about PM?': Owaisi slams BJP
What's the story
AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has slammed the world's first trillionaire Elon Musk for questioning India's political and business decisions. "We were always against Narendra Modi and will remain so. But how can Elon Musk write this kind of thing about our India's Prime Minister?" Owaisi questioned while speaking to journalists. The controversy erupted after Musk, the SpaceX owner and Tesla CEO, expressed his displeasure over the delay in launching Starlink, his satellite internet company, in India.
Political stance
Why is BJP scared of responding to Musk's allegations: Owaisi
Musk had alleged that "oligarchs" in India were obstructing his company's entry and asked whether Mukesh Ambani was the "real boss of India."
Owaisi, however, drew a line between opposing Prime Minister Narendra Modi and letting a foreign businessman dictate terms to India.
He asked why the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was hesitant to respond to Musk's allegations.
"The sad thing is, why are the BJP and the Modi government so afraid of gorachamdi (white skin)?" he said.
National interests
Will this white man sit and dictate to us?: Owaisi
Owaisi also took a dig at the United States for pressuring India to reduce its dependence on Russian oil while continuing to buy Russian energy products itself.
He argued that Indian policy should be based on Indian interests and not dictated by foreign billionaires.
"How the country's resources are used, the country will decide. Will this white man sit and dictate to us?" he asked.
Nationalism challenge
Assert India's decision-making authority, Owaisi tells Modi
Owaisi also challenged PM Modi to assert India's decision-making authority.
He asked why the BJP was scared of confronting powerful foreign figures with the same force it uses against domestic political opponents.
"You will not cut the stomach of a country's citizens to fatten the stomach of some white man," he said, stressing that Indian workers' and citizens' interests should come first.
Political rhetoric
Rahul Gandhi reacts differently to Musk's comments
Congress leader Rahul Gandhi also reacted to Musk's allegations but took a different approach.
He implied that industrialist Gautam Adani was the "other guy" in his post on X, referring to Adani's close relationship with PM Modi.
"Welcome to India, Elon. Wait till you discover the other guy," he wrote.
The exchange between Gandhi and Musk shifted focus from regulatory grievances to political power and corporate influence under the BJP government.