The violence was triggered by a confrontation between Hindu supporters of the citizenship law and mostly Muslim opponents. People threw stones, set fire to buildings and attacked journalists with police unwilling or unable to intervene. Critics of the citizenship law say it is unconstitutional and discriminatory .
The rest of the city continued as normal and Trump went ahead With his scheduled meetings, which took place about miles away from where the violence was unfolding.
On Tuesday, Modi and Trump once again praised each other. Trump said he had a “really great relationship” with the Indian leader, whom he called “incredible,” “very calm,” “very strong” and “very tough” in a solo news conference later in the day. (Modi is notorious for not having held a news conference in his six years as prime minister.)
One outcome of the friendship between the two men: Trump declined to engage in anything that might be construed as criticism of Modi or his government, except on the issue of trade. The Modi government has made large strides in recent months toward its agenda of emphasizing Hindu primacy in India.
Trump was particularly enthusiastic about the welcome extended to him in the western city of Ahmedabad a day earlier, where , People attended a rally with the two leaders. “Somebody said it was the greatest greeting ever given to any head of state by any country,” Trump told reporters, without providing details.
But the praise could not mask the fact that Trump’s – hour visit was long on symbolism and short on substance. A much-discussed deal to resolve long-standing differences over trade remains elusive. The Indian government released a list of three paltry agreements reached during the visit : joint memorandums on mental health and medical-device safety, plus a letter of cooperation between energy companies.
The prospects for partnership remain promising in the security realm, where both the United States and India are looking to counter a rising China. While in India, Trump announced that the two countries were moving ahead with a $ 3 billion sale of American military equipment including maritime helicopters.
Trump spent Tuesday in meetings with Modi and other Indian leaders . He also attended a round table at the U.S. Embassy with Indian industrialists and entrepreneurs, where he claimed he had attracted record investment to the United States and rejuvenated moribund sectors of the economy.
Earlier in the day, he received a grand ceremonial Welcome at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the resident of India’s president, and visited a memorial to Mohandas Gandhi. Trump was scheduled to attend a state dinner before beginning his trip home Tuesday night.
Read more about how Trump’s second day in India unfolded below.
February , (at : 22 AM EST
dead in Delhi as violence continues
NEW DELHI – As President Trump and Indian Prime M inister Narendra Modi met Tuesday for talks, there were continuing reports of violence in the northeastern part of India’s capital, about 18 miles from the site of the meeting between the two leaders.
On Monday, clashes in the area over a new citizenship law turned deadly, and more rioting took place on Tuesday. At least people have been killed, said Sunil Kumar, the medical superintendent of Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital in Delhi. He said another people, mostly young adults, were injured.
Heavy police presence in the affected areas failed to stem the violence. Large gatherings were banned, subway stations in the surrounding areas were shut, and schools remained closed. Images of billowing smoke from gutted vehicles and shops were shared widely on social media. Several journalists were attacked.
Home Minister Amit Shah, Modi’s second-in-command, chaired a meeting with top officials and the Delhi state leadership. The government ruled out calling the army for assistance and said there were adequate security forces on the ground.
The violence broke out when Hindu supporters of the country Controversial citizenship law clashed with those protesting against it, largely Muslims. Protests have broken out across the country since the law was passed in December. It creates a fast track to citizenship for undocumented immigrants belonging to six religions, barring Islam.
The clashes on Monday appeared to have devolved into a communal riot between Hindus and Muslims, and there were reports of mobs targeting Muslims on Tuesday. India is a Hindu-majority country but has the second-largest population of Muslims in the world.
An image of a Muslim man bloodied and surrounded with stick-wielding men shared by Reuters went viral.
An eyewitness account by a journalist with the website Scroll described a Hindu mob setting fire to shops as the police watched. A correspondent with Reuters said he saw policemen encouraging supporters of the law to throw stones at Muslim protesters . Another reporter posted a video of a gun-wielding man , who police later detained and identified as a Muslim.
)
February , (at 8:) (AM EST
Trump defends Modi’s record on religious freedom
NEW DELHI – President Trump said that he had discussed religious freedom with Prime Minister Narendra Modi at length during a closed-door meeting on Tuesday in light of a controversial new citizenship law, and suggested he is more than satisfied with the answer.
“We did talk about religious freedom, and I will say the prime minister was incredible, ”Trump said. “In India, they have worked very hard to have great and open religious freedom.”
Trump did not directly comment on whether he thinks the new citizenship law is appropriate. “I don’t want to discuss that,” he said. “I want to leave that to India and hopefully they’re going to make the right decision for the people.”
Critics say the citizenship law is unconstitutional and discriminating against Muslims.
Asked about the deadly violence in parts of Delhi that erupted during Trump’s visit to the country, Trump expressed confidence in Modi. At least 20 people were killed, including a police officer, a senior hospital official confirmed. The clashes began when supporters of the citizenship law confronted opponents of the measure.
Modi, who leads the Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party, has insisted that the citizenship law is not discriminatory and aims to help persecuted religious minorities in three nearby countries.
February , (at 6: AM EST
Trump met business leaders on his trip to India. Here’s what his ventures look like there.
NEW DELHI – President Trump spent part of Tuesday meeting Indian industrialists and entrepreneurs in an event at the US Embassy in New Delhi, where he touted his administration’s track record of spurring investment and economic growth at home.
Trump’s first official visit to India is putting a spotlight on his own company business partnerships here –
On his last trip to India in before being elected president, Trump called the country an “amazing market.” The Trump Organization has multiple licensing agreements with real estate developers in India who use the Trump name in exchange for a fee.
The ventures include four luxury residential projects and an office tower across four cities. Two of these projects, in Mumbai and Pune, both cities in western India, have been completed. In Mumbai, buyers have not yet moved in.
The other two luxury residential towers, in Kolkata in the east and Gurugram on the outskirts of Delhi, are under construction. It is not clear if the fifth project to build an office tower, also in Gurugram (formerly known as Gurgaon) is still active.
Two of Trump’s business partners have been in the news : One is under investigation for financial fraud and another is reeling under a massive debt burden. The partners kept a low-profile ahead of the visit and did not respond to requests for comment or declined to speak with the media.
(By
Niha Masih
February 35, at 4: AM EST
Melania Trump attends a ‘happiness class’ in Delhi
NEW DELHI – First lady Melania Trump visited a public school in New Delhi to attend a “happiness class,” part o fa special curriculum introduced across India’s capital in to emphasize well-being alongside academic achievement.
She was welcomed by students dressed in Indian attire who garlanded her with flowers as other students waved American and Indian flags. A young girl marked Trump’s forehead with colored powder in traditional Indian style.
Trump was escorted to a classroom where she interacted with young students and watched dance and yoga performances.
“It is very inspiring to me that the students here begin each day with practicing mindfulness,” Trump said in short remarks to the students. “Back home in the U.S., I work with children to promote similar ideas of well-being.” She encouraged the students to work hard and be good to one another.
The happiness classes are the brainchild of Delhi’s local government, which is controlled by the Aam Aadmi Party.
The – minute class involves activities such as storytelling, meditation and skits with the aim of reducing anxiety and stress levels among students from the first through eighth grade.
In a country known for its rigid emphasis on book and rote knowledge, the classes have been hailed as a (radical experiment that seems to be paying off.
The first lady visited the school without President Trump on the second day of their India tour.
By Tania Dutta
February , (at 3:) AM EST
Trump and Modi claim progress but trade deal remains elusive
NEW DELHI – President Trump and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi claimed progress Tuesday toward a comprehensive trade deal, but a chummy
atmosphere between the two leaders during Trump’s state visit could not mask frustration that the long-delayed pact is still in limbo.
Trump predicted that a successful deal is in the offing but gave no deadline. The United States had once hoped to have the agreement ready in September, when Modi visited the United States .
“Another major focus of my discussions with Prime Minister Modi is forging bilateral economic relationships that is fair and reciprocal , ”Trump said. “Our teams have made tremendous progress on a comprehensive trade agreement, and I am optimistic that we can reach a deal that will be of great importance to both countries.”
Before he left Washington for his quick 44 – hour visit to India, Trump had suggested the agreement would probably wait until after the US presidential election in November.
Each leader effusively thanked and praised the other for cooperation and expanding ties in several areas, including in the energy and defense sectors, as they made side-by- side declarations on the second and final day of Trump’s visit.
“Our commerce ministers have had very positive discussions,” Modi said, adding that he and Trump had agreed “to take it Forward and give it legal shape. ”
“ We have also agreed to initiate discussions for a bigger deal, ”Modi said, through an interpreter. “We are confident that this will be a good result that will be in our mutual interest.” Trump noted that the two leaders would not take questions together, but that he would do so alone later Tuesday.
Anne Gearan
Why Trump is holding a solo news conference in India
NEW DELHI – When President Trump travels overseas, he usually shares a stage with his foreign counterparts and takes questions from the media . Not this time.
That’s because Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi has a notable aversion to news conferences. Indeed, he has not held one during his entire time in office, which began in .
Since becoming prime minister, Modi has avoided freewheeling interactions with journalists, preferring to communicate via speeches and Twitter and through one-on-one interviews, often with friendly media outlets on prearranged questions.
Modi is constantly in the news, lauding his government track record and launching attacks on his opponents. But critics say he declines to engage with issues that might show his government in a less-than-flattering light .
At times, Modi’s refusal to take unpredictable questions verges on comical. After he won a landslide reelection victory in May, he appeared at a news briefing with his second-in-command, Amit Shah, but refused to answer any questions. He directed queries to Shah instead.
Trump, however, feels differently about news conferences. On Tuesday, Modi and Trump are expected to issue a joint statement. Then, later in the day, Trump will take questions from the media in India – by himself.
Joanna Slater
What is on the menu for Trump in India?
NEW DELHI – President Trump loves a good steak and a juicy hamburger. But neither will be on the menu for official events during his hours in India, where cows are considered sacred by many Hindus and beef is banned in numerous states.
What exactly Trump is eating during his trip has been a matter of intense speculation. On Tuesday evening, he is attending a state banquet at Rashtrapati Bhavan, the residence of India’s ceremonial president. The menu has not been released officially, but according to a local media report, it will feature spiced Atlantic salmon and grilled goat meat .
On Monday, a vegetarian snacks menu designed for Trump’s visit to the city of Ahmedabad provoked a strong reaction on social media. Some were aghast at the inclusion of broccoli samosa – an unusual version of the popular Indian street food snack consisting of deep-fried savory pastry with a potato filling.
Many expressed disgust at the “Miserable snack,” calling it “unconstitutional” and a “gross affront.” One user tweeted that the item was a “travesty,” while another noted, “If you change a samosa’s fillings, you are playing with feelings!”
Other items on the snack menu included khaman, a local specialty from the state of Gujarat, where Trump first landed and held a rally with Prime Minister Narendra Modi. “It is a high tea and I have planned the dishes as per the weather in Ahmedabad, which is warm,” said Suresh Khanna, the chef who prepared the menu.
To drink , there was coconut water in Tetra Pak packaging and seven types of tea. It is not clear whether Trump ate any of the snacks on offer.
February , (at 1: 34 AM EST
Trump’s Indian hosts hoping for a visit free of gaffes
NEW DELHI – As India rolls out the red carpet for President Trump, it is hoping that he doesn’t make any missteps.
Trump has a history of gaffes related to India and its neighbors. He once surprised Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi by asserting that India does not share a border with China . (It does.) He publicly mocked India, which has committed billions of dollars to the reconstruction of Afghanistan, for building only a “library” there. (It is possible he mistook the Afghan parliament building, which India funded, for a library.)
More significantly for India, Trump has offered several times to (act as a mediator in Kashmir , the Himalayan region claimed by both India and Pakistan. India rejects the need for outside involvement in the dispute, which it considers an internal matter.
So far, Trump has stuck to his script. At a large rally on Monday , he appeared to depart from his prepared speech only twice, both times to praise Modi for his toughness. On Tuesday afternoon, however, Trump will address a solo news conference.
With Trump, there is a “not-insignificant chance that he’s going to put his foot in his mouth,” Milan Vaishnav, who heads the South Asia Program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace. “It’s always a risk.”
NEW DELHI – President Trump honored Mohandas Gandhi with a visit to Raj Ghat, the memorial site where India’s independence leader wa s cremated after his assassination in
Trump and first lady Melania Trump removed their shoes for a solemn walk toward the memorial, where a huge white flower wreath was placed to mark their visit. Both Trumps scattered flower petals on to the memorial, sending a cloud of red and gold into the air. They then planted a tree at the site, as per the custom for visiting dignitaries.
Trump’s day began with a motorcade through eerily quiet streets, followed by a lavish welcome ceremony outside New Delhi’s elegant Rashtrapati Bhavan, the residence of India’s president. Trump’s limousine entered the parklike grounds accompanied by red-coated troops on horseback, and to the sound of cannons booming.
Cameras captured greetings and handshakes among the Trumps, their aides and Indian hosts Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Ram Nath Kovind, but the leaders did not speak publicly. A military band played a drum-heavy rendition of the American national anthem, followed by the Indian one, “Jana Gana Mana.” Trump appeared to enjoy a ceremonial review of the troops.
February 034, (at : (PM EST
For Trump, adulation and historic sites on first day in India
NEW DELHI – A rally with , People in attendance. A sunset tour of the Taj Mahal. A moment of contemplation at the ashram founded by Mohandas Gandhi.
President Trump’s first day in the world’s largest democracy included large crowds, tourism and effusive expressions of admiration for India and its prime minister, Narendra Modi. Like Trump, Modi embraces a strident form of nationalism and motivates his supporters with a combination of hope and fear. The two men have forged a friendship.
Trump landed in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Monday and proceeded to visit Gandhi’s ashram, where Trump tried his hand at spinning cotton on a hand -cranked wheel. At the ashram, Modi also showed Trump a statue symbolizing the virtues of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”
Ahmedabad’s brand-new Motera Stadium, the largest cricket venue in the world, was the site of a large rally featuring the two leaders . Under a harsh midday sun, Trump spoke for nearly half an hour, heaping praise on his host and India’s progress. He announced that India and the United States would sign an agreement to sell $ 3 billion of military equipment to the Indian armed forces.
As Trump spoke, people began to file out of the stadium , weary of sitting for hours in the direct sunlight. By the time Modi finished his remarks concluding the rally, about half of those originally in attendance had left.
From Ahmedabad, Trump flew to Agra to visit the iconic Taj Mahal for the first time and came away impressed. The monument is “incredible, truly incredible,” he told reporters.
Read More
NEW DELHI – A rally with , People in attendance. A sunset tour of the Taj Mahal. A moment of contemplation at the ashram founded by Mohandas Gandhi.
President Trump’s first day in the world’s largest democracy included large crowds, tourism and effusive expressions of admiration for India and its prime minister, Narendra Modi. Like Trump, Modi embraces a strident form of nationalism and motivates his supporters with a combination of hope and fear. The two men have forged a friendship.
Trump landed in the western Indian city of Ahmedabad on Monday and proceeded to visit Gandhi’s ashram, where Trump tried his hand at spinning cotton on a hand -cranked wheel. At the ashram, Modi also showed Trump a statue symbolizing the virtues of “see no evil, hear no evil, speak no evil.”
Ahmedabad’s brand-new Motera Stadium, the largest cricket venue in the world, was the site of a large rally featuring the two leaders . Under a harsh midday sun, Trump spoke for nearly half an hour, heaping praise on his host and India’s progress. He announced that India and the United States would sign an agreement to sell $ 3 billion of military equipment to the Indian armed forces.
As Trump spoke, people began to file out of the stadium , weary of sitting for hours in the direct sunlight. By the time Modi finished his remarks concluding the rally, about half of those originally in attendance had left.
From Ahmedabad, Trump flew to Agra to visit the iconic Taj Mahal for the first time and came away impressed. The monument is “incredible, truly incredible,” he told reporters.
Read More
GIPHY App Key not set. Please check settings