US President Donald Trump’s tweet calling Diwali a “holiday observed by Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains” have started a raging twitter storm over his apparent omission of Hindus, the members of the first and largest religion to observe the festival of lights.
However, in another tweet, he said: “It was my great honour to host a celebration of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, in the Roosevelt Room at the @WhiteHouse this afternoon. Very, very special people!”
Trump also started his speech at the White House Diwali celebrations on Tuesday in the same way with a mention of Hinduism.
The problem apparently arose as his tweets based on his prepared speech were out of sequence and also because the first tweet was deleted and reposted.
After telling people assembled for the celebration that they were a “very impressive group; now I know you are very important, very impressive”, Trump read from his prepared text: “I am thrilled to be here for the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights and I am honoured to host this beautiful ceremony at the White House.”
Then veering off his text, he added, “Very, very special people.”
He interrupted the Diwali speech at that point to talk about the wild fires ravaging California that have killed more than 40 people, thanking the firefighters and offering the victims support.
He picked up his Diwali speech after that, and continued: “We are gathered today to celebrate a very special holiday observed by Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains throughout the US and around the world.”
But social media immediately responded before his second tweet mentioning Hinduism appeared.
Trump also complimented Indian trade negotiators as “the best” and said trade talks between the two countries were moving along.
“We are trying very hard to make better trade deals with India,” he said.
“They are very good traders, they are very good negotiators.” And turning to India’s ambassador Navtej Sarna, he said, “You would say (that), right?”
They are “the best,” and “so we are working and it is moving along,” he added.
He repeatedly spoke of his close ties to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said, “We love your country. And I have great, great respect, as you know, for your Prime Minister Modi.”
And he told Sarna, “So please give him my warmest regards. We will be talking to him soon.”
“The United States has deep ties to the nation of India and I am grateful for my friendship with Prime Minister Modi,” he said.
He also recalled that his daughter had met Modi during a visit to India and he was now also her friend.
He said, “India is the world’s largest democracy. And the relationship between our two countries can act as a bulwark for freedom, prosperity and peace.”