New Delhi: Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) Rajya Sabha MP and Lovely Professional University (LPU) Chancellor Dr. Ashok Kumar Mittal on Saturday issued a stern warning to the United States, declaring that if Washington goes ahead with its proposed 50 per cent tariff hike on Indian goods from August 27, American soft drink and beverage brands will be banned on the LPU campus, one of Indiaโs largest private universities with over 40,000 students.
Dr. Mittal, who also serves as Founder-Chancellor of LPU, said his boycott call was โabsolutely justifiedโ and had already received global support. He pointed out that even former U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had opposed the tariff decision, adding that a boycott by India could have a deeper impact on the U.S. than on India.
The MPโs ultimatum comes shortly after his August 7 open letter to U.S. President Donald J. Trump, where he criticized the move as โunfair and disruptiveโ and questioned whether America could withstand the impact of 146 crore Indians restricting U.S. businesses. His remarks have since sparked debate among universities and youth organisations in India, many of which are exploring similar steps.
Dr. Mittal accused Washington of โhypocrisy,โ stating that the U.S. and its allies continue to trade with Russia, even as India faces penalties for the same. He said the boycott is not targeted at individual companies but is intended as a symbolic assertion of Indiaโs โeconomic dignity.โ
While stressing that dialogue is the best way forward, Dr. Mittal made it clear that India would not accept unfair trade diktats. โOur country is no longer a passive player in global trade. America will have to rethink and withdraw this hike,โ he said, warning that the imbalance could ultimately harm the U.S. more than India.
The statement comes a week after U.S. President Trump met Russian President Vladimir Putin in Alaska, a meeting that has increased pressure on Washington both domestically and internationally. Dr. Mittal reiterated that the true test of diplomacy lies in creating โfair, cooperative solutions that benefit all parties.โ
