Patna, June 18 (IANS) As US President Donald Trump’s praise for Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Bihar Minister Ashok Choudhary on Thursday termed it a positive development, saying that appreciation from global leaders reflects India’s growing stature on the world stage. However, the RJD criticised the government, alleging that India’s foreign diplomacy has failed and that key issues remain unaddressed.

Speaking to IANS, Ashok Choudhary said, “It is a positive thing. When leaders of other major countries praise the Prime Minister of India, whether it is the President of China, leaders of the European Union, or the President of the United States, it reflects the stature of our Prime Minister. It also shows that his foreign policy and diplomatic approach are moving in the right direction and yielding results.”

Meanwhile, RJD Rajya Sabha MP Manoj Kumar Jha slammed it and said, “There should be a strong public outcry over this. There should be eight to ten debates on the issue. When such inappropriate and objectionable remarks are made, we seem to have forgotten how to raise a united voice in protest.”

Referring to the deaths of Indian sailors, he said, “Our sailors were murdered. Who did that? The American war machine. Yet, for the sake of calling someone ‘my dear friend,’ there is silence on the issue. Our foreign diplomacy has completely failed, but no one is talking about it.”

He further added, “Today you are in power; tomorrow you may not be. We have been forced to remain silent despite our pain. Who is responsible for this? Not the Opposition, not the people, but those to whom we have entrusted the responsibility of the country and its leadership.”

Meanwhile, speaking to reporters ​at the G7 meeting in France, Trump said that he had a “very ​good” conversation ⁠with PM Modi, adding that the two countries ⁠are ‌working on trade deals.

Trump called PM Modi a “tough ‌negotiator,” and said ⁠he will be going to India “sometime in ‌the ‌future.”

However, even Modi was taken by surprise when the US President started applauding his appearance. He said, “Have a look at this man. I’ll give you a lesson. He’s the most beautiful-looking man. He looks so nice, like an angel. But actually, he’s tough.. he is a killer… But he is such a nice man. I said he is very tough. He is tough trader and he loves the Indian people, but he also loves the USA. We had ‘Howdy Modi’ in Houstan.”

–IANS

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