As to who remained quieter, Narendra Modi clearly wins
Not much is common between Donald Trump and the Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. But, when it comes to responding to key issues that are close to their hearts, both are prompt. Donald Trump takes to Twitter on slightest provocation and Narendra Modi is equally social-media savvy.
Two world-leaders have never met but, apparently, shared a warm phone-call conversation in January. As per White House, Trump has extended an invitation to Modi saying that he is “looking forward to hosting Prime Minster Modi in the Unites States later this year.” While the meeting is far by months, Modi can bask in self-contentment that he has won at least once against Donald Trump. And that comes on his silence on the killing of Srinivas Kuchibhotla.
It took Donald Trump seven days and 23 tweets to denounce an incident of hate crime in the US. However, for Narendra Modi it is past 10 days and more than 90 tweets, and still silent.
Srinivas Kuchibhotla, 32, was killed on February 22 in a Kansas bar by an intoxicated white American, Adam Purinton. Purinton, 51, injured two more bar patrons before taking to the street with a firearm. The police arrested Purinton the same night, some 80 miles away from the crime scene as he tried to find a hideout.
India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, though, was quicker in her response. She expressed shock and condolences. Swaraj extended support to bring back Kuchibhotla’s body to his hometown, Hyderabad, India.
Modi’s silence is ubiquitous. A senior member of the Modi government, Foreign Secretary S Jaishankar, is already in Washington. However, not much is being disclosed to the news media on what has transpired in his meeting with Trump administration officials.
Speculations are ripe that Modi government does not want to pester Trump as it awaits new rules on H-1B and L1 visas.