Trump to join Modi in Houston to address 50,000 Indian-Americans: White House
Washington: President Donald Trump and Prime Minister Narendra Modi will jointly address over 50,000 Indian-Americans at the mega "Howdy, Modi!" event in Houston on Sunday, which officials say is an "unprecedented" occasion, reflective of the strong bonds of friendship and cooperation between India and the US.
Emphasising the new bonhomie in the India-US ties under the Trump administration, this is for the first time in recent history that the leaders of the two largest democracies would be addressing a joint rally anywhere in the world.
More than 50,000 Indian-Americans from across the US have registered for the September 22 mega "Howdy, Modi! Shared Dreams, Bright Futures" event to be held at the sprawling NRG Stadium in Houston.
In a statement, White House Press Secretary Stephanie Grisham said, "It (Modi-Trump joint rally) will be a great opportunity to emphasise the strong ties between the people of the US and India, to reaffirm the strategic partnership between the world's oldest and largest democracies, and to discuss ways to deepen their energy and trade relationship."
This would also be the first time that an American president would be addressing thousands of Indian-Americans at one place in the US. India's Ambassador to the US, Harsh Vardhan Shringla called Trump's participation in the "Howdy, Modi!" event "historic" and "unprecedented".
"It is reflective of the strong bonds of friendship and cooperation that has developed between India and the US," Shringla told PTI.
He said it was also reflective of the people-to-people contact that provides the "organic" linkage between the two countries. The ambassador said the two leaders addressing the event sets a bold precedent, which is unconventional and unique."It would be quite a historic meeting with Prime Minister Modi and President Trump jointly addressing over 50,000 Indian-Americans, mainly US citizens," Shringla said.
White House officials told PTI that a request for the joint address was made by Prime Minister Modi to President Trump when the two met in France last month on the sidelines of the G7 summit.
While India is not part of the G7 countries, Modi was invited as a special guest by French President Emanuel Macron for the summit. Trump, who enjoys a great chemistry and friendship with Modi, "immediately accepted" the invitation to join him in Houston and directed his officials and secret service to make arrangements, officials said.
This would be the third meeting between the two leaders this year. The previous two were on the sidelines of the G20 Summit in June in Japan and in France in July on the sidelines of the G7 Summit.
In October 2016, Trump, then as Republican presidential nominee, had addressed a strong crowd of some 5,000 Indian-Americans in New Jersey, a few weeks away from his historic win in the November 2016 elections.
So far, Trump is the only presidential candidate to address the Indian-Americans solely during an election year.In his address, Trump had said that if elected, he would be the best friend of India in the White House.
The Houston event will be Modi's third major address to the Indian-American community after he became the prime minister in 2014 and the first after his re-election in May.
The previous two were at the Madison Square Garden in New York in 2014 and the Silicon Valley in 2016. Both the events were attended by more than 20,000 people.The "Howdy, Modi!" event is being organised by non-profit Texas India Forum, a recently-formed representative body of hundreds of Indian-American organisations in Texas and other parts of the US.
"Howdy", short form of 'How do you do?', is a friendly greeting commonly used in southwestern United States. Senior Democratic Congressman Steny Hoyer would also join Prime Minister Modi and President Trump for the "Howdy, Modi!" event.
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I need not indulge in any revolution, have confidence, hope: D K Shivakumar
Bengaluru (PTI): Amid the ongoing power tussle within the ruling Congress in Karnataka for the CM post, Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Tuesday said he is with "utmost patience", and he has no need to indulge in any kind of revolution, as he believes in himself and has hope.
Asserting that he is neither interested in any kind of blackmailing for selfishness, nor is he interested in causing any trouble for the Congress, Shivakumar, who is also its state unit chief, said, though a "street fighter", his fight is never within the party.
Amid claims that Chief Minister Siddaramaiah was using state intelligence to keep a tab on Shivakumar's camp through phone tapping during the ongoing power tussle, he stated that he doesn't know about it, and pointed out that the CM and Home Minister G Parameshwara have made statements on the issue.
"To this day, I have not spoken about the CM issue at any point. On matters concerning us, it is between me, the CM and the party high command. I have only said that we are party to the decision that has happened, other than that I have never said anything else," Shivakumar said in response to a question.
Speaking to reporters here, he said, "Others have been saying the post will become vacant, Dalits should get the post, others should get it. It is others who want the CM post to become vacant, wanting it to be given to Dalits and others. I have never spoken about it. Only if the post is vacant can it be given to anyone else. I have never spoken about the post becoming vacant."
Noting that he is the Congress state president, Shivakumar said he is aware of that responsibility and has always tried to ensure that no harm is caused to the party because of him and that discipline is not violated.
"Being the president of the party, sitting in this chair, no one should point out to me that I have done injustice from this position, killing the party. I don't want anyone to pass such comments against me in the future. So, I'm with utmost patience, I know what is all happening, whether it is right or wrong. I'm aware of it," he said.
Highlighting that the Congress party was built, nurtured and sacrificed for by a number of workers and leaders, including him, he doesn't want lakhs of party workers to be troubled because of him.
"They (workers) have made us sit in power. Neither am I interested in indulging in any kind of blackmail for my selfishness, nor am I interested in causing any trouble for the party," he added.
Replying to a question about his hesitation to comment on the CM change issue and when it might happen, Shivakumar merely said, "Time will answer, and decide."
He, however, did not wish to respond to reports about party leadership, including AICC President Mallikarjun Kharge, top leader Rahul Gandhi and General Secretary K C Venugopal having held a discussion on the leadership issue in Karnataka. "I don't know. I haven't spoken or asked anyone," he added.
Shivakumar, who is hosting a dinner party for party legislators on March 10 to mark his six years as Karnataka Pradesh Congress Committee (KPCC) President, responded to a question about his continuation in the post by saying, "New blood should come, youngsters should come with fresh ideas."
"(Ministers) Parameshwara, H K Patil, Ramalinga Reddy and I became Ministers during our first term as MLAs. Our term is over, we are senior citizens, and new people should come....enough for me six years (as KPCC chief), others should also get an opportunity," he said.
Questioned whether he was speaking like a "Yogi," he said, "I'm a street fighter....I have come so far fighting; I know how to fight, but not for power. My fight is not within the party; I will fight outside the party. If anyone thinks I'm quiet, it is left to them."
Asked whether there will be some "Kranti" (revolution) after the budget, he said, "I need not do any Kranti. I have belief in myself, I have self-confidence. I always have hope.....I need not put in any effort; whatever has to come to me, it will come at the appropriate time. I have that confidence. I will meet you soon."
Responding to a question about Siddaramaiah's statement -- that if the BJP and JD(S) leaders have any "evil idea" to woo Shivakumar, it is their "daydream" -- the Deputy CM said, "He (the CM) said that out of his experience, he has seen me closely both when he was in another party and after joining Congress."
Asked whether there were any attempts by BJP and JD(S) to woo him, he said, "I will write a story about it some other time.....why speak about it now."
To a question, whether he accepts Siddaramaiah describing the bond between them as "milk and honey", Shivakumar said, "Of course. It was the same earlier, it is the same now, and it will be the same in 2028."
When pointed out that the bond between him and the CM doesn't seem to be cordial amid the ongoing power tussle, and after listening to some legislators supporting him, he said, "I want to request all the legislators, if they have any desire, that good things should happen to me, please keep quiet."
Accusing the opposition leaders of trying to "sour the relationship" between him and Shivakumar, Siddaramaiah, earlier in the day, while rejecting phone tapping allegations, had asserted that such actions would not affect their relationship, which he described as being like "milk and honey."
