Khaleej Times

Prayers for Trump in Delhi, for Harris in ancestral village

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new delhi — Supporters of US vice-presidenti­al candidate Kamala Harris held prayers near her ancestral village in India ahead of Tuesday’s US election, while a Hindu fringe group sought divine blessings for President Donald Trump.

The southern Indian region where Harris’ maternal grandfathe­r was born is rooting for the Democratic Party to win because of the family connection.

Meanwhile, a group that claims to have the support of 5 million Hindus says it wants Trump to be re-elected in order to keep India’ s main rivals — Pakistan and China — in check.

Hours ahead of the US presidenti­al election, people living in and around Thulasendr­apuram, the village of Harris’ grandfathe­r, gathered at a temple for special prayers. One local politician conducted an “abhishekam”, a practice that involves pouring milk over a Hindu idol while religious verses are recited, in the presence of about 20 villagers, said R. Manikandan, a shopkeeper near the temple. He said more than 15 cars and motorcycle­s, belonging to reporters working for local and inter-national media outlets, had assembled in Thulasendr­apuram to cover the ritual. R.R. Kalidas Vandayar, a businessma­n and the head of a cricket associatio­n in the nearest town, plans to offer food to more than 150 people to seek their blessings for Harris, who is running alongside Democratic presidenti­al candidate Joe Biden. “She is from here and we are proud of her,” said Vandayar’s brother R.R. Jayakumar Vanda-yar Hundreds of miles north in Delhi, nearly two dozen members of a group known as Hindu

Sena (Hindu Army) joined a priest wearing saffron robes to conduct fire rituals and chant verses for Trump’s victory.

They held up pictures of the leader with one of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi resting to the side.

“India can fight terrorism only if Trump is around, and both China and Pakistan will stay restrained as long as he is the president,” the group’s founder, Vishnu Gupta, said by ‘phone. —

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 ?? Reuters, AP ?? A photo of President Donald Trump is seen as activists of the Hindu Sena, a right-wing group, perform a special prayer in New Delhi to ensure his victory in the elections. Below right, Devotees participat­e in a special prayer for the success of US democratic vice-presidenti­al candidate Kamala Harris, at a temple in Thulasendr­apuram village, south of Chennai. —
Reuters, AP A photo of President Donald Trump is seen as activists of the Hindu Sena, a right-wing group, perform a special prayer in New Delhi to ensure his victory in the elections. Below right, Devotees participat­e in a special prayer for the success of US democratic vice-presidenti­al candidate Kamala Harris, at a temple in Thulasendr­apuram village, south of Chennai. —

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