Congress leader Milind Deora, who lauded the “Howdy, Modi!” event in Houston, was thanked by the Prime Minister but was reportedly left the party leadership upset.
Milind Deora had on Monday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s ‘Howdy Modi’ address as a “momentous first for India’s soft power diplomacy”.
He further said his father Murli Deora, former Union Minister, was one of the first architects of deeper ties with the US.
“@PMOIndia’s Houston address was a momentous first for India’s soft power diplomacy. My father Murlibhai was one of the early architects of deeper Indo-US ties. @realDonaldTrump’s hospitality & recognition of Indian-Americans’ contributions makes us proud (sic),” the Congress leader tweeted.
.@PMOIndia’s Houston address was a momentous first for India’s soft power diplomacy.
My father Murlibhai was one of the early architects of deeper Indo-US ties.@realDonaldTrump’s hospitality & recognition of Indian Americans’ contributions makes us proud
— Milind Deora मिलिंद देवरा (@milinddeora) September 22, 2019
The Prime Minister tweeted back thanking the Congress leader and said that his friend Murli Deora would have really been glad to see the strengthening of bilateral ties.
“Thank you @milinddeora. You are absolutely correct when you highlight my friend, late Murli Deoraji’s commitment to strong ties with the USA. He would have been really glad to see the strengthening of ties between our nations. The warmth and hospitality of @POTUS was outstanding,” PM Modi tweeted.
To this, Deora replied: “Thank you @narendramodi ji! Murlibhai put nation first & worked with all governments in India & the US to deepen ties between our great countries. In my many interactions with my Democrat & Republican friends, they, too, acknowledge India’s leadership in the 21st century”.
Thank you @narendramodi ji!
Murlibhai put nation first & worked with all governments in India & the US to deepen ties between our great countries.
In my many interactions with my Democrat & Republican friends, they, too, acknowledge India’s leadership in the 21st century https://t.co/AXbEb6ZDtK
— Milind Deora मिलिंद देवरा (@milinddeora) September 23, 2019
Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju tweeted in response: “A matured & honest political comment by my dear friend @milinddeora. Dare to be honest and fear no labour. Honesty is not only the deepest policy, but the highest wisdom — Charles Caleb Colton.”
Milind Deora also thanked Rijiju in another tweet.
Thank you, Kiren. I have always believed that Foreign Policy should be divorced from partisan politics https://t.co/6irBo17HFW
— Milind Deora मिलिंद देवरा (@milinddeora) September 23, 2019
Deora had resigned as the Mumbai Regional Congress Committee chief after the Congress’ debacle in Lok Sabha elections.
Meanwhile, Deora’s tweets are seen to have made the Congress party upset with other party leaders having criticised PM Modi for “sloganeering” for Donald Trump.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi had in Houston endorsed US President Donald Trump for a second term, saying ‘Abki Baar Trump Sarkar’ in front of nearly 50,000 Indian-Americans.
The Congress has slammed PM Modi for “campaigning” for US President Donald Trump saying that it was a violation of India’s foreign policy.
Congress leader Anand Sharma said, “We have a strategic partnership between India and the US, which is bi-partisan, which we fully endorse”.
“There is an honoured convention on India’s foreign policy that when we engage with foreign governments, the President of India or the Prime Minister are on their soil we do not take part in their domestic electoral politics,” he added.
In his tweets on Sunday, Sharma also reminded PM Modi that he was in the US as the Prime Minister of India and “not the star campaigner of US elections”.