US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday strongly defended America as a hospitable country. He dismissed racist comments targeting Indians in the US as the actions of “stupid people”.
In New Delhi, Foreign Minister S. Addressing a joint press conference with Jaishankar, Rubio was responding to a question on racism against Indians in the US. Rubio said he takes such concerns seriously, but he stressed that the offensive comments made by some do not reflect America’s values.
In such a situation, questions are being raised whether Rubio in his gestures called Trump a ‘fool’? Because it was Trump who called India the gateway to hell.
What did Rubio say?
Rubio said, “I don’t know how to respond to this, but I would take it very seriously. I’m sure there are some people who have made comments online and elsewhere, because there are idiot people in every country in the world. I’m sure there are idiot people here, and there are idiot people in America who make stupid comments all the time.”
He added, “What else can I tell you other than that America is a very hospitable country.” Rubio underlined the contributions of immigrants, including those of Indian origin, to American society and economy. “Our nation is enriched by those who have come to our country and become Americans, assimilated into our lifestyle, and are making contributions,” he said.
Acknowledging the economic role played by the Indian community in the US, Rubio commented, “I agree with what you just said about the contribution of Indians to the US economy, which is more than $20 billion.” “We want this figure to continue to grow,” he said.
talks with jaishankar
Earlier, External Affairs Minister Jaishankar held delegation-level talks with Rubio at Hyderabad House in New Delhi, which was an important part of the ongoing high-level diplomatic talks between the US and India. Senior officials from both sides participated in this meeting. Jaishankar was accompanied by Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal, Foreign Secretary Vikram Misri and other senior officials, while Rubio was accompanied by US Ambassador to India Sergio Gore and members of the US delegation.
During the meeting, Rubio described the first day of his visit as “fantastic” and emphasized that India and the US are not just allies but “strategic allies”. He said that this “strategic partnership” is what makes US-India relations different. He added that this “extends to opportunities to collaborate globally in different parts of the world.”
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