BJP Rajya Sabha MP Subramanian Swamy has warned the Narendra Modi government should "stop fawning" over the victory of Democratic candidate Joe Biden in the US presidential elections.
Indian Government should stop fawning on the new Biden Harris Govt by running to invite them to India as reported by media.On India affairs Biden will go by Kamala Harris and she is ideologically against “Hindu nationalism” which decoded means BJP. Modi must practice Atmanirbhar.
— Subramanian Swamy (@Swamy39) November 9, 2020
Swamy commented about the US election results on Twitter a day after Modi congratulated Biden and his running mate, Kamala Harris, on Sunday. Modi had tweeted, "Congratulations @JoeBiden on your spectacular victory! As the VP, your contribution to strengthening Indo-US relations was critical and invaluable. I look forward to working closely together once again to take India-US relations to greater heights." Modi had also congratulated Kamala Harris, whose mother was an Indian, and called her victory a matter of immense pride. Media reports claim the Modi government could invite Kamala Harris to visit India after she is sworn in.
Swamy tweeted on Monday, "Indian Government should stop fawning on the new Biden Harris Govt by running to invite them to India as reported by media. On India affairs Biden will go by Kamala Harris and she is ideologically against 'Hindu nationalism', which decoded means BJP. Modi must practice Atmanirbhar."
Swamy appeared to be referring to fears that Kamala Harris would push for a tough line against the Modi government's policies. In 2019, after the Modi government abrogated Article 370 in Jammu and Kashmir, Kamala Harris, then a senator, had said, "We have to remind the Kashmiris that they are not alone in the world. We are keeping a track on the situation."
Harris, who was then campaigning to be the Democratic presidential candidate, even hinted at a more proactive 'interventionist’ approach when she said, "If the United States in any meaningful way will have any influence on what’s happening in Kashmir, we need to have a representative on the ground." On the other hand, the Donald Trump administration had mostly referred to the abrogation of Article 370 as an internal matter of India.
In December 2019, External Affairs Minister Subramanyan Jaishankar refused to meet Pramila Jayapal, an Indian-origin Congresswoman, over her criticism of the situation in Jammu and Kashmir. Harris had criticised Jaishankar's action. She tweeted, "“It’s wrong for any foreign government to tell Congress what members are allowed in meetings on Capitol Hill. I stand with @RepJayapal, and I’m glad her colleagues in the House did too."
‘Invite Trump’
Swamy had previously expressed support for Trump in the US presidential election. Swamy tweeted on Sunday that Modi should invite Trump as a special guest for the Republic Day parade.
"It will be good if PM Modi also tweets to President Donald Trump [he is till Jan 20, 2021] thanking him for being such a good friend of India and invite him to come in india as a special guest during the Republic Day Parade and Beating of the Retreat," Swamy tweeted. While it is yet unclear whether Swamy was referring to next year's Republic Day parade, if Modi were to extend such an invitation, it would likely inflame sentiment among Democrats. Modi was panned for apparently endorsing Trump for a second term at the ‘Howdy Modi’ event in Houston last year.
