Modi dithers on Trump’s poll rhetoric

As the election season heats up in the US, the spotlight is on the flamboyant Republican presumptive nominee Donald Trump. Ahead of his visit to the US, India’s Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tactfully avoided taking a position when asked about Mr Trump’s controversial proposal to ban Muslims from entering the US. “These are issues of debate in the election. A government shouldn’t respond to that,” Mr. Modi said during an interview to the Wall Street Journal.

“As a part of the election debate many things will be said there, who ate what, who drank what, how can I respond to everything?” Mr. Modi, the leader of the world’s largest democracy which is home to around 200 million Muslims, said. There has been plenty of curiosity among Indians on the growing phenomenon of Mr Trump. Many ‘Right wing’ groups in India have come out in support of the Republican front-runner. Groups such as ‘Hindus for Trump’ have been gaining traction in the recent past and have expressed optimism about a probable Trump Presidency.

Some of the latest polls in the US have shown Mr Trump taking lead for the first time over the Democrat front-runner Hillary Clinton. This has enthused the supporters of Mr Trump and groups such as “Hindus for Trump”.

The proposal to ban Muslims from the US has elicited support from the right-wing groups while receiving brickbats from the opponents and critics. Many of the overseas groups related to the BJP and RSS have also expressed their support for Mr Trump.

Many world leaders, including UK’s Prime Minister David Cameron, have reacted strongly to Mr Trump’s anti-Muslim sentiment.

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