Modern history hasn't seen a head of state so volatile, uncivil: Deve Gowda hits out at Trump
New Delhi, Aug 1 (PTI): Former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Friday launched a scathing attack on US President Donald Trump over his remarks on India, calling him the most "volatile, uncivil and irresponsible" head of state in modern history.
In a statement, 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".
"I don't think modern history has seen another head of state who has been so volatile, uncivil and irresponsible. Mr Trump has not just behaved badly with India, but with every other country across the world. He has not spared his own longstanding allies," Deve Gowda said.
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".
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'."
He 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".
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PM Modi inaugurates India AI Impact Expo, interacts with startups
New Delhi (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the India AI Impact Expo here featuring over 600 high-potential startups and 13 country pavilions showcasing international collaboration in the AI ecosystem.
He also interacted with startups participating in the expo.
The prime minister visited various stalls and spoke with the companies participating in the expo. He was seen asking questions from company representatives to better understand what they are showcasing.
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The prime minister spent several minutes at various stalls while interacting with the representatives.
The Expo brings together global technology firms, startups, academia and research institutions, central and state governments and international partners.
Spread across 10 arenas covering more than 70,000 square metres, the Expo brings together global technology firms, startups, academia and research institutions, Union ministries, state governments and international partners.
The Expo also features 13 country pavilions, showcasing international collaboration in the Artificial Intelligence (AI) ecosystem. These include pavilions from Australia, Japan, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, the Netherlands, Switzerland, Serbia, Estonia, Tajikistan and Africa.
The Expo will host over 300 curated exhibition pavilions and live demonstrations, structured across three thematic chakras -- people, planet and progress.
In addition, the Expo will feature over 600 high-potential startups, many of them building globally relevant and population-scale solutions. These startups will demonstrate working solutions that are already deployed in real-world settings.
