Prime Minister Narendra Modi being called ‘The Father of India’ has generated many debates and discussions, criticising Trump for entitling his opinion and for Modi for accepting it. While some blamed Donald Trump that he said it in order to gain Indo-American votes in the coming presidential election, some others blamed PM for equating himself to Mahatma Gandhi.
Amidst all these, Mahatma Gandhi’s great-grandson Tushar Gandhi sounded quite upset with the opinion of Trump in calling Modi as ‘Father of the nation’. He asked whether the US president may also like to replace George Washington with himself. He also alleged that the Modi-led government’s plans to celebrate the 150th birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi in a grand manner “only symbolic”, which falls on Oct 2.
Trump quoted last week saying, “I remember India before was very torn. There was a lot of dissension, fighting and Modi brought it all together. Like a father would. Maybe he is the father of India.” On this, Tushar Gandhi told, “Those who feel the need to replace the father of the nation with a new one are welcome. Trump may also like to replace George Washington with himself.”
Supporting Tushar Gandhi, a few netizens said that Mahatma Gandhi indeed tried effortlessly to lead a generation against the atrocities and draconian rule of British imperialism through non-violent manner. Therefore, no one in the world either in history or in the current era is as exalted as Mahatma Gandhi. And a few others argue that Trump’s spontaneous words should not be given so much importance.