Union minister Jitendra Singh on Wednesday criticised those mocking United States President Donald Trump’s statement that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was the father of India. Trump also compared Modi to singer Elvis Presley.
Singh said people criticising Trump do not consider themselves Indians, Hindustan Times reported. “If a frank and impartial view comes from outside, from the US president then I think all Indian citizens should feel proud of it, irrespective of their political affiliation,” ANI quoted him as saying. “For the first time, the US president has used such words of appreciation for any PM. If someone is not proud of it then maybe that person doesn’t consider himself an Indian.”
Singh claimed Indians living abroad were nowadays proud of the country. “This is happening due to the personality and personal outreach of Prime Minister Modi,” said the minister.
The American president on Wednesday said he considers Modi to be “a great gentleman and a great leader.” He went on to say that India before Modi became a prime minister was “very torn [and] there was a lot of dissension, fighting and he [Narendra Modi] brought it all together. Trump”. The he added: “We will call him the Father of India.”
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