India most important friend, partner of America: Senator John Cornyn
Washington, Sep 24: India is one of the most important friends and partners of the United States, a top American Senator said on Monday, a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Donald Trump addressed a crowd of over 50,000 Indian Americans in Houston.
"India is one of our most important friends and partners," Republican Senator John Cornyn said. The senior Senator from Texas is the founder and Co-Chair of the Senate India Caucus, which is the only country-specific caucus in the US Senate.
A strong friend of India both inside and outside the US Congress, Cornyn said the two countries share common values of freedom, democracy and free enterprise, and will always look for new opportunities to deepen this relationship.
"In you, India has a valuable friend!," Modi told Cornyn in a tweet.
Congressman Pete Olson echoed Cornyn.
"The United States and India share a bond that was made even stronger" by the "Howdy, Modi!" event," he said.
Modi retweeted Olson, saying, "It is people like you who play a key role in bringing our nations closer. Thank you for coming to #HowdyModi. Your Indian attire looked lovely!"
A large number of US lawmakers attended the mega "Howdy, Modi!" event in Houston on Sunday and frequently tweeted about it. According to Legistorm, which tracks the tweets of the US Congress members, #HowdyModi was the sixth top hashtag of the week in the Congress.
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Shivakumar dismisses reports of dinner meet with MLAs
Belagavi (Karnataka) (PTI): Deputy Chief Minister D K Shivakumar on Friday dismissed reports of having a political dinner meeting with MLAs, asserting that his visit was purely personal and driven by affection from party colleagues.
Speaking to reporters here, he said he often receives informal meal invitations from party workers and long-time associates, and attends them as a matter of courtesy rather than political intent.
"Friends from the region affectionately call me for lunch or dinner. How can I say no? It is not any dinner meet, but I have to go when I am invited."
When asked specifically about a supposed dinner with MLAs on the outskirts of Belagavi, Shivakumar said, "A boy from my constituency is working here; he said he will send 'mudde and upsaaru' for lunch. Can I say no? The day after, Asif Sait and Feroze Sait invited me."
He added that long-standing party leaders and friends had also extended invitations.
"Doddannavar is a former president of Belagavi district Congress and he is a friend too. He has been inviting me home for dinner for a long time. Can I forget my Congress family? Hence, I and a few others had gone there for dinner. It was not a dinner meet," Shivakumar said.
On the issue of permitting cricket matches at Bengaluru's Chinnaswamy Stadium, he said the government had acted to safeguard the city's reputation.
"We have taken necessary steps to protect the reputation of Bengaluru. We have permitted on the condition that adequate preventive measures would be in place," Shivakumar said.
He added that Home Minister G Parameshwara had been tasked with ensuring security arrangements.
"He has been given the responsibility to ensure adequate preventive measures during matches. KSCA President Venkatesh Prasad and his team will have a discussion with the police department," Shivakumar said.
