It’s more than a library, Mr Trump
new delhi — India rejected US President Donald Trump’s comments mocking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for funding a library in Afghanistan, saying on Thursday that New Delhi has provided $3 billion in development assistance to the war-torn country.
The US president on Wednesday took a swipe at what he claimed were Modi’s frequent comments on building the library: “You know what that is? That’s like five hours of what we spend.
“And we’re supposed to say, ‘Oh, thank you for the library.’ I don’t know who’s using it in Afghanistan,” Trump said.
A statement provided by government sources in New Delhi said: “India plays a significant role as a development partner” in Afghanistan, with projects aimed at achieving “a tangible improvement in the lives of its people”.
As the “largest donor in the region”, New Delhi has helped with infrastructure projects, humanitarian assistance and economic development, the statement said.
Highlights include a 218-kilometre road, a dam providing irrigation to farmers and training programmes for more than 3,500 Afghans in India. New Delhi has also provided 1.1 million tonnes of wheat to Afghanistan as well as a 400-bed children’s hospital built in 1972 and renovated after the fall of the Taleban in 2002.
Ram Madhav, general secretary of Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said on Twitter that India was “building lives” in Afghanistan.
“Trump should know that while he is decrying every other help in (Afghanistan), India has been building not only libraries, but roads, dams, schools and even parliament building”, he said.
Ahmed Patel, a lawmaker and a senior member of the opposition Congress party, tweeted that the “tenor and tone” of the US leader’s remarks was “not in good taste & is completely unacceptable”. —
Trump should know that while he is decrying every other help in (Afghanistan), India has been building not only libraries, but roads, dams, schools and even parliament building
Ram Madhav, BJP general secretary
new delhi — India on Thursday dismissed US President Donald Trump’s remark that it is not doing enough for peace and stability in Afghanistan, with sources here saying New Delhi does not send troops abroad except under specific UN mandate.
“India firmly believes in the critical role that developmental assistance can play in transforming human lives,” a source said. “India does not send its armed forces abroad except under the specific mandate of UN peacekeeping operations.”
In his first Cabinet meeting of the year on Wednesday, Trump asked India, Russia, Pakistan and other neighbouring countries to take the responsibility for Afghanistan’s security as he defended his move to withdraw troops from that country.
Trump also referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi as an example of how world leaders were talking about their contributions that were nowhere near the billions of dollars the US was spending.
“I could give you an example where I get along very well with India and Prime Minister Modi,” Trump was quoted as saying.
“But he is constantly telling me, he built a library in Afghanistan. Library! That’s like five hours of what we spend (in Afghanistan),” he said.
“And he (Modi) tells me. He is very smart. We are supposed to say, oh thank you for the library. Don’t know who’s using it (the library) in Afghanistan. But it’s one of those things. I don’t like being taken advantage of.”
Ram Madhav, general secretary of Modi’s ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), said on Twitter that India was “building lives” in Afghanistan.
“Trump should know that while he is decrying every other help in (Afghanistan), India has been building not only libraries, but roads, dams, schools and even parliament building”, he said.
Ahmed Patel, a lawmaker and a senior member of the opposition Congress party, tweeted that the “tenor and tone” of the US leader’s remarks was “not in good taste & is completely unacceptable”.
Pointing out that India plays a significant role as a development partner in Afghanistan, the sources here said this partnership was built on the specific needs and requirements worked out with the Afghan government.
“It is aimed at the welfare of the people of Afghanistan and for a tangible improvement in the lives of its people,” the source said.
“India seeks to build capacities and capabilities of Afghan nationals and its institutions for governance and delivery of public service, develop socio-economic infrastructure, secure lives and promote livelihood.”
Though India has not put its boots on Afghan soil, it has played a key role in the reconstruction efforts of the war-ravaged country, including key infrastructure projects.
These include construction of the 218-km road from Zaranj to Delaram for facilitating movement of goods and services to the Iranian border, the 220kV DC transmission line from Pul-e-Khumri to Kabul and a 220/110/20 kV substation at Chimtala, the Salma Dam with an installed capacity of 42 MW and the new Afghanistan Parliament building.
Also, over 3,500 Afghans are undergoing various training programmes in India. There is a special scheme of 1,000 scholarships per annum for Afghan nationals under the Indian Council for Cultural Relations (ICCR) and 500 Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) slots for Afghanistan annually. —