Washington: A prominent community leader in the United States said that 70 per cent of Hindu-American voters there voted for Republican Donald Trump in the recent elections. The leader claimed that they were disenchanted by the Democratic Party’s use of human rights as a political tool for countries such as India and encouraged by Trump’s stance on Hindu rights in Bangladesh, PTI reported.
"The Democratic Party has not really done much to court Indian Americans. Not only that, they have done things which are very insulting, infuriating, and humiliating to Indian Americans... When it comes specifically to India-related issues, number one, the Democrats, somehow or other, use human rights as a political tool," influential Indian American Dr Bharat Barai told PTI in an interview.
He claimed that President Joe Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris, and Secretary of State Antony Blinken condemned the reported violence against Hindus in Bangladesh. The reported violent incidents include more than 100 Hindus getting killed, temples desecrated and people being forced to wear hijabs.
He explained that while the Hindu American population is small, they are a significant voting bloc, particularly in tight races. "I believe 70 per cent of Hindu Americans voted for Trump this time," he said.
Barai, who was in Washington DC this week to attend the Diwali celebrations at the US Capitol, said, "Trump got the benefit of the doubt, partly based on his strong statement about Bangladeshi Hindus. But of course, people will judge Trump by what he does (after coming to office)."
He also noted that Trump's appointments of two Hindu Americans -- Vivek Ramaswamy and Tulsi Gabbard -- to prominent positions has boosted his support within the community.
Barai exuded confidence that India's US relationship would strengthen under the next administration, mainly because of the personal relationship between Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi.