Santosh Lad condemns Donald Trump for calling India 'hellhole'
Karnataka Minister Santosh Lad has called out US President Donald Trump for labeling India a "hellhole," saying it's an insult to both the country and Prime Minister Modi.
At a press event in Ballari, Lad said, "I really want to condemn the way you are told about my country. I can show you a middle finger also, but from this very particular platform, we stand united and say, please, Trump, go ahead."
He also criticized the Indian government for not speaking up against Trump's remarks.
Trump's Truth Social remarks draw criticism
Trump made his comments on Truth Social while talking about birthright citizenship, grouping India with countries like China.
India's Ministry of External Affairs called his words "uninformed" and said they don't reflect the real relationship between the two countries.
US Democrats have also pushed back against Trump's statements, while the US Embassy pointed out that he's praised India in the past—showing just how much this debate is stirring things up on both sides.