H D Deve Gowda lauds Modi for standing up to Trump's 'bullying'

New Delhi: Launching a scathing attack on US President Donald Trump over his remarks on India, Former Prime Minister H D Deve Gowda on Friday praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for standing firm against Trump's "bullying."

Responding to Trump's characterisation of India's economy as "dead", the former prime minister said, "India has been the fastest growing economy and is the fifth largest economy in the globe. Mr Trump must either be blind or ill-informed to designate our economy as 'dead'."

"I don't think modern history has seen another head of state who has been so volatile, uncivil and irresponsible. Trump has not just behaved badly with India, but with every other country across the world. He has not spared his own long standing allies," Deve Gowda said in a statement.

Gowda emphasised that India is "a sovereign nation that is diverse and democratic" and has "always acted in supreme national interest" since Independence, with the "God-given ability and strength to negotiate all difficulties that come its way and emerge stronger".

In a sharp rebuke to some Opposition leaders, Deve Gowda warned those who had "rejoiced" Trump's statements and "jumped to be his deluded spokespersons in India".

The JD(S) leader said he was "surprised" by Trump's "baseless and ill-tempered remarks" on India and the Indian economy, and accused the US President of behaving badly not just with India but "with every other country across the world".

The 92-year-old leader suggested there was "something fundamentally wrong" with Trump that "reason, diplomacy or statecraft" could not address, but said he would not elaborate further as it would mean "lowering our own standards".

"Even a small trader and a poor farmer in India, who conducts his business with great dignity, integrity and humanity, can teach many lessons to Mr Trump," he said.

Deve Gowda praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government for standing firm against Trump's "bullying".

"I am very happy and proud that India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has not compromised our national interest. It has not blinked to Mr Trump's bullying and has shown that it will never be dictated by threat," he said.

He lauded the Modi government for going "the full length" to protect the agricultural sector and small and medium businesses, "on which more than half the nation's population is dependent".

Deve Gowda said the government's "firm stand" would lead to "national resurgence of an unprecedented scale".