Hyderabad road named after Trump draws criticism from Modi party

NEW DELHI: A major road renamed after US President Donald Trump in Hyderabad has triggered criticism from India’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party, with the party accusing the opposition Congress of contradiction over its stance on Washington.

The road, now called Donald Trump Avenue, is located in Hyderabad, the capital of the southern state of Telangana, which is governed by the opposition Congress party. The road runs next to the US consulate and is close to offices of major American technology companies including Microsoft, Google and Amazon.

The renaming took effect on Tuesday, at a time when Congress has been accusing Prime Minister Narendra Modi of being compromised for not confronting Trump over a range of issues. Those issues include US tariffs on Indian goods and US attacks on Indian-crewed tankers during the Iran war.

Political criticism over renaming

US-India relations have worsened during Trump’s second term, with Washington imposing steep tariffs on Indian products, penalising New Delhi for buying Russian oil, and deepening engagement with Pakistan, India’s rival.

Reacting to the road renaming, BJP spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla criticised Congress and referred to party leader Rahul Gandhi’s position on Trump.

"Rahul Gandhi says President Trump [is] hurting Indian interests," Poonawalla said on X on Wednesday. “Then why is his government in Telangana giving the ultimate tribute to him by renaming a road after him?”

The move also drew objections from other political parties after it was unveiled this month. The Communist Party of India (Marxist) described the decision as outrageous and called for it to be reversed.

Congress defends decision

Congress has defended the renaming, saying the step reflects Hyderabad’s growing importance in the relationship between India and the United States.

Trump has not visited Hyderabad in either of his two terms as US president, although former US presidents Bill Clinton and George W. Bush both visited the city.

The development comes shortly after Trump and Modi met on the sidelines of last week’s G7 summit in France, where they agreed to move ahead with a trade deal that has been under negotiation.