With four days until the US presidential elections, Republican candidate and former President Donald Trump vowed to strengthen ties with India and condemned the violence against Hindus in Bangladesh.
The former president took to social media to send his Diwali greetings and expressed his desire to boost partnership with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, whom he referred to as a "good friend."
Trump also criticised President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris—the Democratic candidate—and claimed that they have ignored Hindus globally and in the US.
"We will also protect Hindu Americans against the anti-religion agenda of the radical left. We will fight for your freedom. Under my administration, we will also strengthen our great partnership with India and my good friend, Prime Minister Modi," Trump wrote on X.
Bangladesh, he said, remains in a total state of chaos, and he alleged that Harris and Biden have ignored Hindus across the world and in America.
"I strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians, and other minorities who are being attacked and looted by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in a total state of chaos. It would have never happened on my watch. Kamala and Joe have ignored Hindus across the world and in America. They have been a disaster from Israel to Ukraine to our own southern border, but we will make America strong again and bring back peace through strength," he wrote.
This is the first time that Trump has spoken on the issue of Bangladesh.
Hundreds of Hindus were killed in July-August in Bangladesh when a student agitation turned into massive protests, leading to then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina fleeing the country on August 5.
Trump's criticism of his Democratic rivals also extended to other areas, including economic policies.
"Kamala Harris will destroy your small businesses with more regulations and higher taxes. By contrast, I cut taxes, cut regulations, unleashed American energy, and built the greatest economy in history. We will do it again, bigger and better than ever before—and we will make America great again," the former president claimed.
Notably, Trump and Harris are in a dead heat, with experts calling it one of the closest elections in American history.
The US Presidential Election Day is on November 5.
US presidents are elected through the Electoral College rather than by popular vote. To win the White House, a candidate must secure 270 of the 538 electoral votes available.
While Harris holds a slight advantage in national polls, seven key swing states, where she and Trump lead each other by razor-thin margins, will be crucial in determining the election outcome. These states are Georgia, Michigan, Arizona, Pennsylvania, North Carolina, Wisconsin, and Nevada.
