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4 min readNew DelhiApr 24, 2026 11:19 AM IST
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and US President Donald Trump. (AP Photo)
India’s Oppostion leaders have responded sharply to US President Donald Trump’s post endorsing radio host Michael Savage derrogatory comments on India and questioned External Affairs Ministry’s muted response to it.
Congress national president and Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge criticised Prime Minister Narendra Modi for his silence over the matter. Training his guns on Modi, Kharge said: “Modi ji’s dear friend, “Namaste Trump” has shared a note abusing India and using an extremely disparaging term. Modi ji remains absolutely mum on these ridiculous utterances.”
He also wondered what PM Modi is scared of.
“Indians have played a vital role in America’s success. What is stopping us to raise this at the highest levels of the American government? From the skewed Indo-US Trade deal framework to Mr. Trump’s earlier claims on mediating to stop the war during Operation Sindoor, From grinning in front of Mr. Trump when he said “BRICS is dead” to US levying 50% tariffs on India — at every step Modi ji has mortgaged India’s interests!”
Modi ji’s dear friend, “Namaste Trump” has shared a note abusing India and using an extremely disparaging term.
Modi ji remains absolutely mum on these ridiculous utterances.
MEA Spokesperson said “That is where I leave it” @narendramodi ji, what are you scared off?… pic.twitter.com/TE3uCGIbSh
— Mallikarjun Kharge (@kharge) April 23, 2026
The controversy erupted after Trump reposted a video footage and transcript of Savage’s criticism of America’s birthright citizenship on Truth Social. In the footage, the prominent MAGA influencer could be seen arguing that such practices create a loophole where “a baby here becomes an instant citizen, and then they bring the entire family in from China or India or some other hellhole on the planet.”
Kharge even highlighted this part from the transcript and said that he expects PM Modi to take a moment out from his busy election schedule to react to the “intimidation and indignatiom” of Indians
Mocking PM Modi, Trinamool Congress MP Mahua Moitra asked if he would register a protest against Trump sharing a post calling India a “hell hole” and all Indians “gangsters with laptops”. “Are you going to protest or are you just going to Khi Khi your way to your next poll rally in Bengal?” she argued.
Hello @narendramodi ji your Phraand Trump just called India a “hell hole” and all Indians “gangsters with laptops”. Are you going to protest or are you just going to Khi Khi your way to your next poll rally in Bengal?
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) April 23, 2026
Meanwhile, shiv Sena UBT leader Priyanka Chaturvedi was impressed by Iran’s response to Trump’s repost.
“While India’s MEA saw a muted response to the hellhole comment here’s Iran HC in Mumbai giving their response to Donald Trump,” she wrote as she shared the post of Iranian High Commission in Mumbai.
While India’s MEA saw a muted response to the hellhole comment here’s Iran HC in Mumbai giving their 🔥🔥🔥 response to Donald Trump. https://t.co/mKs0Vb0pRb
— Priyanka Chaturvedi🇮🇳 (@priyankac19) April 23, 2026
Soon after Trump’s repost of Savage’s video, India termed it “uninformed”, “inappropriate”, and “poor in taste”. The US Embassy sought to control the damage by putting out a message that Trump believes India is a “great” country led by a “good friend of mine.”
“We have seen the comments, as also the subsequent statement issued by the US Embassy in response,” the Ministry of External Affairs spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said. “The remarks are obviously uninformed, inappropriate and in poor taste. They certainly do not reflect the reality of the India-US relationship, which has long been based on mutual respect and shared interests,” he said.
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