The victory of Donald Trump in the U.S presidential election is a second deepavali for Hindus and it has sent shockwaves through the Pakistani establishment, said a key Indian American donor to the President-elect. Shalabh Shalli Kumar, founder of the Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC), said Mr. Trump will take India-U.S relations to a new height and both countries will fight “radical Islamic terrorism” together. “This is the best thing that could have happened to the Hindus. Mr. Trump is committed to fighting Islamic terrorism to its end,” Mr. Kumar told The Hindu.
Mr. Trump had attended an event of the RHC during the campaign where he pledged to work with Prime Minister Narendra Modi to fight terrorism. Mr. Kumar is considered close to Mr. Modi too. In 2013, when Mr. Modi was banned from the U.S, Mr. Kumar had organised a delegation of members of U.S Congress call on the then Chief Minister of Gujarat. Mr. Kumar said Indian American Hindus have voted for Mr. Trump in large numbers during this election. “The Democrats have condoned Pakistan-sponsored terrorism for too long and Indian Americans have lost patience with them,” Mr. Kumar, who contributed nearly a million dollars to the Trump campaign, said.
Mr. Kumar said that a Pakistani American businessman who is close to the Trump campaign is in touch with Pakistan government to persuade it to take more effective measures against terrorists. “Pakistani PM Nawaz Sharif wants peace and wants to act against terrorists. But the military and the ISI promote terrorism against India. They should know that a Trump administration will not be business as usual,” Mr. Kumar said.
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