A letter to Trump fans in India from a well wisher

I see a lot of Trump fans in India who are also supporters of Narendra Modi and BJP. They are Right wing leaning and see American Conservatism and Donald Trump as their natural ally. A few have even gone to the extent of requesting me to cast my vote in favor of Trump in his reelection bid in the 2020 US elections. I have politely turned them down. One thing I am sure about myself - I am NOT voting for Trump. Period. That's non negotiable.

Don't think Trump even knows or even cares about his fans back in India. So here is my letter to Trump fans back home with love.

Apart from the word "Conservative", there is hardly any similarity between American conservatives and their Indian counterparts. American conservatives eat beef aplenty. Forget about eating bovine meat, the Indian right leaning Hindu conservatives even abhor the thought about it and hound those talk about consuming the bovine meat. Donald Trump and overwhelming majority of his fellow Republicans have no motherly affection towards cows and cherish their rare medium prime steaks.

The conservatives in US believe in  AMERICAN EXCEPTIONALISM - We all know this and there is some truth to it. Without certain exceptional qualities and leadership, America wouldn't be where it is today. Even virulently anti Americans grudgingly admit the same. Yet, self glorification takes the mojo out of it. Rubbing of self ego hardly helps, same as this Message - A Self massage doesn't give you the same pleasure, as much as the massage given to you by someone else.

In this message of exceptionalism by the American conservatives, India or Indians hardly fit into the scheme of things. Most Conservative Americans are barely aware of or care about India or Indians. Some of those who have some idea, often mock at the Hindus for not eating the meat of a mere animal called cow. It may not sound music to Trump's fans back home.

Also during his 3 years of Presidency Trump's foreign policy has been whimsical rather than strategic. He has hardly initiated any kind of pro India foreign policy beyond the perfunctory optics of "Howdy Modi". When Modi was gleeing with joy by exposing his phalanx of 24 teeth holding the hands of the American President in Houston, Trump's body language showed that he was clearly uncomfortable.

My dear Right wing supporters in India, for your kind information it was during a Champion American Conservative and Republican President George W Bush's tenure in 2005 your MAHAPRABHU Modi was denied Visa to visit America. It was during Obama administration this ban was revoked and red flag was changed to red carpet. Obama is a Democrat.

One measurement of the importance given towards a country by the President of United States is how many times he visits a nation in his first term. So far, not a single time Trump has cared to visit India, whereas he has already visited many nations in Western Europe, China, Japan, South Korea, Singapore - some multiple times. Obama was the only President after Jimmy Carter in 1978 who visited India on their first term. Obama also invited Manmohan Singh for a  ceremonial White House State Dinner, a rare honor to a visiting dignitary. Both Carter and Obama were Democratic Presidents. Republican Presidents irarely extended such hospitality to any visiting Indian Prime Minister, including Trump.

American administration in general, whether Republican or Democrat follow a deeply self oriented foreign policy in a world where there is no permanent friends or enemies. Only permanent interest thrives. So hold on to your horses Trump fans until you see Trump making a strong foreign policy overture to India, a la Nixon to China in 1973.

Your truly

A Reality checker & Well Wisher.