Congress attacks ‘weak Modi govt’ over controversial U.S. advertisement

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Congress Party leaders Jairam Ramesh, MP, General Secretary, Incharge Communications, with Deputy Leader of Congress in Lok Sabha Gaurav Gogoi, addressing a press conference at the Party HQ. File | Photo Credit: The Hindu

The Congress on Friday (September 11, 2026) slammed a U.S. Department of Homeland Security advertisement asking "Mr. Singh" to self-deport as an insult to all Indians, and asked why there had been no strong public rebuttal from the Modi government on this.

The Opposition party termed the Modi government "weak", and said it will have to answer the country as to why is it unable to strongly advocate India's interests.

The Congress' strong reaction came after an advertisement posted by the Department of Homeland Security asking "Mr Singh" to self-deport sparked off a controversy with advocacy groups terming it racist and anti-American.

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) used AI-generated imagery on X to push its campaign against unlicensed commercial drivers, featuring a brown-bearded man with a tagline "Get off our roads, you don't know how to drive Mr. Singh."

Reacting to it, Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said, "Modi ji, who has been showcasing his international clout by calling Donald Trump his 'friend' and who even coined the slogan 'Abki Baar Trump Sarkar' among Indian-Americans, is now seeing continuous insults against Indians and people of Indian origin under his administration. "Yet, the Modi government is behaving as if it is a silent partner in this entire episode. An extremely offensive poster targeting 'Mr Singh' was issued from the official handle of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security, in which a turbaned Indian was threatened with lines like 'Get off our roads' and 'Self-deport or find out'," Mr. Ramesh said in a post in Hindi on X.

“This is not just an insult to one individual or community - it is an insult to the dignity of all Indians," he said.

मोदी जी जिन डोनाल्ड ट्रंप को अपना "मित्र" बताकर अपना अंतरराष्ट्रीय रसूख़ दिखाते रहे हैं और जिनके लिए उन्होंने अमेरिकी-भारतीयों के बीच "Abki Baar Trump Sarkar" का नारा दिया था, उनके प्रशासन में आज भारतीयों और भारतीय मूल के लोगों का लगातार अपमान हो रहा है। पर, मोदी सरकार ऐसे… pic.twitter.com/urHnXcMP0Q

“There should have been a strong rebuttal to such racial stereotypes and this level of governmental rudeness,” Mr. Ramesh asserted.

“After widespread protests in America, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security had to take down this post,” he pointed out.

"But even after that, the department continues to defend this campaign and its language through its official posts. The question is: Why has there been no strong public rebuttal from the Modi government on this insult to Indians?" Mr. Ramesh said.

“The special thing is that this is not the first instance of India's insult under the weak Modi government,” the Congress general secretary said.

“The whole world saw how Indians were sent back to India in a deeply humiliating manner -- shackled in handcuffs and leg shackles -- on a U.S. military aircraft,” he recalled.

“Even then, the Modi government did not raise its voice for the dignity of Indians in front of its "friend", Mr. Ramesh said.

“Then America imposed unilateral additional tariffs on India, to which the Modi government could not muster any effective response,” he said.

"Why has our diplomatic strength become so feeble during the tenure of the Modi government, which boasts of being the 'vishwaguru', that India's interests and sovereignty are facing one blow after another?" Mr. Ramesh said.

"Why is the Modi government silent? Why does the Government of India keep proving itself weak time and again?" he said.

“Does "friendship" mean that the Trump administration keeps insulting Indians, India's economic and strategic interests keep getting undermined, and the Modi government keeps indulging in headline management every time to cover up its own mistakes?” Mr. Ramesh asked.

“Friendship is important in foreign policy, but national interest, the dignity of Indians, and India's sovereignty are paramount, and there can be no compromise on them,” the Congress leader aseerted.

“The Modi government will have to answer the country as to why is it unable to strongly advocate for India's interests,” Mr. Ramesh said.

A short video clip in a related post by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security on X shows Megatron, the main antagonist character in the Transformers franchise, negotiating the release of aliens -- a term used to describe foreign nationals by the U.S. administration.

Megatron is shown seeking the release of truck drivers Harjinder Singh, Rajinder Kumar, Bekzhan Beishekeev, Akhror Bozorov, and Jasveer Singh, who were involved in road accidents and other crimes.

"If you approach this nation with hostile intent, know this. We will defend ourselves. We will defend Americanism. We will defend our home," the DHS said in a post on X.

Another post features Optimus Prime, the main protagonist in the Transformers franchise, with a DHS arm patch confronting the brown-bearded man with the message: Self-deport or find out .

The administration and DHS make no effort to hide their obvious bigotry, casting suspicion on millions of Americans based on their background and appearance, in this case, the Sikh community. DHS's grotesque advertising campaign is hateful, disgraceful, and un-American. pic.twitter.com/zkYGTTfOjL

The reference to Mr. Singh in the advertisement was criticised by advocacy groups, including the Hindu American Foundation and Sikh Coalition.

"Singhs are Hindu, they are Sikhs, they are American and they drive. Racist, un-American, anti-Indian profiling/trolling by @DHSgov should shock our nation's collective conscience," the Hindu American Foundation (HAF) said in a post on X.

"Singhs" are Hindu, they are Sikhs, they are American and they drive. Racist, un-American, anti-Indian profiling/trolling by @DHSgov should shock our nation's collective conscience.Maybe we're becoming too used to this hate, but are @Hasbro@takaratomytoys@ParamountPics ok… https://t.co/jk0F0ahrMD

This is a discriminatory post by a federal agency that is far beyond political messaging, and we welcome an investigation, the HAF said, tagging Assistant Attorney General Harmeet K Dhillon and FBI Director Kash Patel.

“Twenty-five years after 9/11, Sikhs are still being targeted and profiled for how we look,” the Sikh Coalition said in a post on X.

“Millions of Sikhs in the United States have the last name Singh, which means lion. We remain fearless in identifying as Sikhs even when our government portrays us as enemies,” the Sikh Coalition said.

The row comes amid a DHS campaign to promote its CBP Home programme, which allows eligible undocumented migrants to register their intention to leave the United States voluntarily.

Those registering for self-deportation can receive travel assistance and an exit bonus of USD 2,600, according to the DHS.

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