US President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi greet audience at Howdy Modi event in Houston _file
New Delhi: "Why is there an Indian flag there," the Bharatiya Janata Party's Member of Parliament Varun Gandhi was asking in a tweet on Thursday after the tricolour was spotted waving in one of the videos showing transgressors, who stormed into the United States' Senate building and forced the lawmakers to go hiding, on Wednesday.
Several videos and images are doing rounds in social media which suggest that there were many Indian Americans who were supporting the vandalism that shook the conscience of the US.
Varun Gandhi said that that was "one fight we definitely don't need to participate in".
It is pertinent here to recall that US President had found many die-hard fans among the Indian right-wing groups. Hindu Sena had reportedly organised prayer events in India and the US for Trump's re-election.
An election campaign rally in Houston in September 2019, witnessed the presence of more than 50,000 Indian Americans, was jointly addressed by Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Donald Trump. The programme was dubbed as "the largest-ever gathering with a foreign political leader in the United States."
Speaking at the conference, Modi had said:
"Friends, this morning we have a very special person with us. He needs no introduction. His name is familiar to every person on the planet.
His name comes up in almost every conversation in the world on global politics. His every word is followed by tens of millions.
He was a household name and very popular even before he won on to occupy the highest office in this great country.
From CEO to Commander-in-Chief, from boardroom to the Oval Office, from studios to global stage, from politics to the economy and to security he has left a deep and lasting impact everywhere.
Today he is here with us. It is my honor and privilege to welcome here in this magnificent stadium and magnificent gathering.
And I can say I had a chance to meet him often and every time I found the friendliness, warmth, energy, the President of the United States of America – Mr. Donald Trump.
This is extraordinary, this is unprecedented.
Friends, As I told you we have met a few times and every time he has been the same warm, friendly, accessible, energetic and full of wit. I admire him for something more.
His sense of leadership, a passion for America, a concern for every American, a belief in American future and a strong resolve to Make America Great Again.
And he has already made the American economy strong again. He has achieved much for the United States and for the world."
However, Modi's remarks were frowned upon as a deviation from the precedent of former Indian premiers who used to keep themselves away from the election campaigns of foreign leaders.