A Republican Hindu Coalition advertisement has accused United States Democrat presidential candidate Hillary Clinton of being "sympathetic towards Pakistan" and giving Islamabad billions of dollars of aid and military equipment to use against India. The advertisement accused Clinton of being part of the lobby that scuttled Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visa application in the past.
The 29-second advertisement, titled "Crooked Clinton–Vote for Republican, Vote for US-India Relations", is being aired on Indian-American television channels, PTI reported. The video also accused the presidential candidate of receiving funds from entities that support "radical Islam". It also cast aspersions on Clinton's aide Huma Abedin's Pakistani origins and said she would be made chief of staff if the Democrat candidate wins. The New York Post quoted officials who were not identified, who said the video is being aired on Zee TV, TV Asia, Star TV, Times Now, Gemini, AAJ and around 10 other channels.
According to PTI, Abedin's mother is of Pakistani origin and father is Indian. Republican Hindu Coalition chief Shalabh Kumar told The New York Post that "Huma in general is as pro-terrorist as you could be. I don't understand why Hillary will associate herself with Huma."
The video claims that former president and the Democrat candidate's husband, Bill Clinton, intends to "give Kashmir to Pakistan". The video asks Americans to "Vote Republican – great for you, great for US-Indian relations and great for America."
Supporters of the Clinton campaign have dismissed the advertisement as ""misleading, incorrect and false". Clinton campaign fund-raiser Ajay Jain Bhutoria said, "Trump and the Republican Hindu Coalition are misleading the community with false facts." Bhutoria accused Republican candidate Donald Trump of "mocking Indian call-centre workers" and creating a rift between Hindus and Muslims, Indians and Pakistanis in America. Bhutoria said, "We left this kind of religion-based politics back in our home country."
Trump addressed a gathering of Hindu-Americans]in New Jersey on October 15. The event, organised by the Republican Hindu Coalition, was the candidate's first address an ethnic community in an individual event. A video showing Trump saying, "Ab ki baar, Trump Sarkar" surfaced in October. It was aimed at reaching out to the "Hindu and Indian community" in America.
America will vote for a new president on November 8.
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