New Delhi: Former US trade adviser Peter Navarro stirred controversy by claiming that Indian Brahmins are profiting from Russian oil, while ordinary Indians bear the cost.
Navarro alleged that India’s purchase of Russian oil indirectly funds the war in Ukraine and leads to higher tariffs, describing India as “Russia’s washing machine” and accusing it of worsening trade imbalances and alliances against US interests.
Congress leader Pawan Khera strongly rejected Navarro’s remarks on Monday, calling them baseless. Trinamool Congress Rajya Sabha MP Sagarika Ghosh said the term ‘Brahmin’ in the English-speaking world often refers to the wealthy, making Navarro’s statement misleading and showing ignorance.
Economist and Prime Minister’s Economic Advisory Council member Sanjeev Sanyal also criticised Navarro, saying the remarks reflect a longstanding prejudice toward India in some American intellectual circles, tracing back to 19th-century colonial writers like James Mill.
