India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a sharp rebuttal, calling U.S. President Donald Trump "rude" after he shared a racist post labeling India a "hellhole." The post also accused skilled Indian workers in the U.S. of excluding people of color and lacking English language skills, describing the act as unreflective of the true bilateral relationship.
The Indian government officially condemned President Donald Trump's action of sharing a social media post containing negative and hateful content against Indians and immigrants.
This incident occurred on the evening of Wednesday, 22 Apr 2024 GMT+7, when President Trump reposted a video and message from a right-wing critic attacking birthright citizenship under the U.S. Constitution. The message stated, "Children born here become citizens immediately. Then they bring their whole families from China, India, or other hellholes in the world."
Additionally, the post targeted Indian workers in the U.S. technology industry, accusing them of refusing to hire native-born white Americans and citing misleading claims that Indian immigrants lack English language proficiency.
Ranthir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, responded that the message was "misinformed, inappropriate, and rude," emphasizing that such language does not reflect the longstanding, respectful, and mutually beneficial relationship between India and the United States.
Meanwhile, Ami Bera, a Democratic member of Congress and son of Indian immigrants, described Trump's post as "disgusting, ignorant, and diminishing the dignity of the presidency," noting that Trump, born into wealth, has never understood the struggles faced by immigrant families.
The Hindu American Foundation issued a statement expressing concern that the U.S. President's endorsement of hateful and racist language would further fuel hatred and endanger the Indian community amid record-high racial discrimination in the United States.
This dispute comes just weeks before U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio is scheduled to visit India next month to restore bilateral relations.
However, this is not the first time Trump has taken a hard stance toward India; he has previously implemented strict visa policies affecting IT workers and maintained tariff measures against India for several months, reportedly due to dissatisfaction with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's lack of appreciation for Trump's mediator role in India-Pakistan conflicts.
Analysts view Trump's position as contrary to decades of efforts by former U.S. presidents aimed at building alliances with India as the "world's largest democracy" to counterbalance China's influence in the Asian region.