Congress Mocks PM Modi After Trump’s G20 Boycott: ‘Self-Styled Vishwaguru Will Attend in Person’

Congress leader Jairam Ramesh took a pointed swipe at Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday following US President Donald Trump’s decision to boycott the upcoming G20 Summit in South Africa, referring to the Prime Minister as a “self-styled vishwaguru.”

In a post on X (formerly Twitter), Ramesh remarked,

“Now that President Trump has announced that he will not be attending the G20 Summit in South Africa on November 22–23, we can be certain that the self-styled vishwaguru will himself attend in person.”

The jibe came shortly after Trump declared that no US government official would participate in the global summit, accusing South Africa’s government of “human rights abuses” against white farmers.

Trump’s Boycott Triggers Political Commentary in India

Trump’s announcement has stirred diplomatic and political reactions worldwide. The former president stated that he was boycotting the G20 in protest against what he described as “killings and illegal land seizures” targeting Afrikaners — descendants of Dutch, French, and German settlers — in South Africa.

“It is a total disgrace that the G20 will be held in South Africa. Afrikaners are being killed, and their land and farms are being illegally confiscated,” Trump wrote on his social media platform Truth Social, adding that he looked forward to hosting the 2026 G20 Summit in Miami, Florida.

South African officials have dismissed Trump’s claims as baseless, reiterating that white citizens continue to enjoy better living conditions and greater economic advantage than most Black South Africans even decades after the end of apartheid.

Congress Targets PM Modi’s Diplomatic Record

Jairam Ramesh’s remark was intended to mock what he described as the Prime Minister’s “self-promotional diplomacy.” The Congress leader’s comment follows earlier instances where he criticized Modi’s selective participation in international summits.

He had previously alleged that PM Modi skipped the 22nd ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur to avoid a potential confrontation with Trump amid ongoing India–US trade tensions. At the time, the Prime Minister cited Diwali festivities as the reason for his virtual attendance.

Since assuming office in 2014, Prime Minister Modi has attended all G20 summits, including those held in Brisbane, Antalya, Hangzhou, Hamburg, Buenos Aires, Osaka, Riyadh (virtual), Rome, Bali, and New Delhi. His consistent presence at the G20 has been projected by the government as evidence of India’s global leadership role, but the opposition has often accused him of prioritizing optics over outcomes.

A Political War of Words

Ramesh’s latest “vishwaguru” remark reflects the Congress party’s continued efforts to challenge Modi’s global image. The term — which translates to “world teacher” — has been used mockingly by opposition leaders to criticize what they perceive as the Prime Minister’s self-promotional diplomacy on the international stage.

The political exchange highlights how Trump’s boycott of a global forum has triggered domestic sparring in India, where foreign policy remains a key part of the political narrative heading into the 2026 elections.

While Modi is set to represent India in person at the G20 Summit in Johannesburg, the controversy underscores a broader theme in Indian politics — the constant tug-of-war between global ambition and domestic criticism.