Mumbai: The Maharashtra Congress on Friday launched a sharp attack on Prime Minister Narendra Modi over his silence on the controversial “hellhole” remark about India linked to US President Donald Trump.
State Congress leader Nana Patole strongly condemned the statement and questioned why the Prime Minister had not responded publicly. “First of all, I condemn Trump and his statement. Why is the Prime Minister of the country silent now? He has insulted Mother India. At such a time, why doesn’t he speak up?” Patole said.
Congress Ready To Support PM If He Takes Firm Stand
He further added that the Congress party would support the Prime Minister if he chose to take a firm stand against the remarks. “We call on Narendra Modi to show Trump his place. The Congress party is completely with him, but he will not do it. This shows that the BJP, which is in power today, is tolerating the insult to Mother India,” Patole alleged.
The controversy erupted from a video reshared by Trump featuring conservative commentator Michael Savage, in which countries like India and China were described as 'hellholes' during a discussion on US immigration and birthright citizenship. The clip, originally aired on “The Savage Nation,” sparked widespread criticism for its derogatory tone.
India has officially responded to the remarks. Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal termed the comments 'uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste,' stressing that they do not reflect the strong and mutually respectful relationship between India and the United States. Amid mounting backlash, Trump later appeared to soften his stance, describing India as a great country and referring to its leadership as a very good friend.
The issue has now escalated into a political flashpoint, with the opposition targeting the Centre over its response, while the government maintains that diplomatic ties between the two nations remain strong and unaffected.
