Several Indian opposition figures have expressed displeasure over the use of phrase “Father of the Nation”, which is reserved for the country’s freedom struggle icon Mahatma Gandhi, by US President Donald Trump in relation to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Hitting out at Trump, Indian politician Asaduddin Owaisi on Wednesday said that he is illiterate and has no knowledge of India's history, adding that the US president's statement insulted the legacy of India.
Congress leader Jairam Ramesh had also reproached the Trump comment, saying it is an insult to Mahatma Gandhi and that he certainly doesn’t feel proud of the "praise" certain Bharatiya Janata Party leaders may be feeling.
However, President Trump and Prime Minister Modi’s bonhomie also prompted Twitter users to indulge in a debate. With nearly 2,600 tweets, #ModiFatherFaceoff was trending on Twitter on Thursday, with some people trolling President Trump for his remark.
Looking at the Headlines which we know r understated, wld we say tht #HowdyModi extravaganza was beneficial for INDIA apart frm being bestowed with yet another #FatherofTheNation by a slippery POTUS who is up for impeachment himself ?!🤔🤨 #TrumpImpeachment #ModiFatherFaceOff pic.twitter.com/PxHE6OVI4T
— sangeeta mehra (@sango20) September 26, 2019
#ModiFatherFaceOff Who is trump ? Any freedom fighter ? Any Indian Army Person ? Have we lost our mind that some bullshits of other countries now will tell us to choose our father ? MKG will always be father of InDia #bjpmocksdemocracy
— Aslam Naikwade (@AslamNaikwade) September 26, 2019
I cannot believe this is even a discussion. And that a whole bunch of people actually took something that trump said as gospel truth. He doesn’t know what he’s blabbering about most of the time. Stop kissing white supremacist ass. #ModiFatherFaceOff
— That squirrel (@anjusabu) September 26, 2019
#ModiFatherFaceOff
— Mohit (@JIILCK85) September 26, 2019
Three pillars of our Modern Democracy finding Trump..!!
Liberals Intellectuals Congress
⏬ ⏬ ⏬ pic.twitter.com/wuZO3GGxFg
Some netizens shared hilarious memes, including one of Gandhi walking away from the currency note.
#ModiFatherFaceOff@realDonaldTrump never compared @narendramodi with #Gandhi it was an honest gesture in appreciation, no one prompted him to say so #MahatmaGandhiFatherOfNation
— Gaurav Mishra (@ImKGauravMishra) September 26, 2019
Haters only hate people they themselves can never be !#FatherOfNewIndia pic.twitter.com/q6jagppf9Y
When #DonaldTrump calls #NarendraModi as father of nation.
— Riddhima gupta (@wriddhimaa) September 26, 2019
Le-#MahatmaGandhi
*Mai kya Karu job chodh du?*
#ModiFatherFaceOff pic.twitter.com/9Xw8wMXL3c
#ModiFatherFaceOff
— Mukhiya ji (@humour_full) September 26, 2019
Via WA pic.twitter.com/t8HbiGKZaN
Nów @narendramodi #FatherOfIndia 🇮🇳THIS is what AMERICAN KNOWS ... then tell how is he of 🇮🇳 #Liberal ... yeh din DURR NAHI #NewIndia pic.twitter.com/NrnsouewjB
— Shraddha Chaturvedi (@ShraddhaChatu20) September 25, 2019
Others backed Trump, saying it is unnecessary to hype on his comments as he was trying to honour Prime Minister Modi.
#ModiFatherFaceOff Trump must have made this comment out of courtesy in view of the Indian PM endorsing his candidature for re-election why so much fuss over here?
— Totlani Krishan (@kktotlani) September 25, 2019
Also, how about we stop discussing who the Father of India is and start working on issues that really matter?#ModiFatherFaceOff
— Vaishnav (@iamvaishnavv) September 26, 2019
US President Trump and Prime Minister Modi met on 24 September at a joint press conference after the latter rallied alongside POTUS at the "Howdy Modi" event in Texas.
"I remember India before... it was very torn. There was a lot of dissension, lot of fighting. And he brought it all together. Like a father would bring it together. We would call him the father of India... I think he has done a fantastic job," the US president said.
#WATCH US President: I remember India before was very torn. There was a lot of dissension, fighting&he brought it all together. Like a father would. Maybe he is the Father of India...They love this gentleman to my right. People went crazy, he is like an American version of Elvis. pic.twitter.com/w1ZWYiaOSu
— ANI (@ANI) September 24, 2019
