India’s response to Donald Trump's ‘library in Afghanistan’ criticism of PM Narendra Modi

Earlier, while addressing the first cabinet meeting of the year, the US President referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for funding a library in Afghanistan, wondering who would use it in that country.

Trump had cited India’s efforts towards peace and development in Afghanistan but said it was not enough./ AFP IMAGE/ FILE

New Delhi: After US President Donald Trump on Wednesday took a dig at India-funded library in the war-torn country and questioned India’s efforts in its decades-old role in the Afghanistan peace, Indian officials said that India plays a major role in transforming Afghanistan. To news agency PTI, Indian officials said that India has been implementing a range of mega infrastructure projects as well as carrying out community development programmes in Afghanistan as per requirement of its people. They said such assistance would go a long way in making the country economically empowered and stable. Earlier, while addressing the first cabinet meeting of the year, the US President referred to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for funding a library in Afghanistan, wondering who would use it in that country. In response to a question raised by reporters during the cabinet meet, Trump reportedly asked why US despite being 6,000 miles away is in Afghanistan fighting the Taliban and the neighbouring countries like India, Pakistan and Russia are cornering themselves. "Why is not Russia there (in Afghanistan, fighting the Taliban)? Why isn't India there? Why isn't Pakistan there? Why are we (US) there? We are 6,000 miles away. But I don't mind. We want to help our people. We want to help other nations," he was quoted as saying by news agency PTI. He cited India’s efforts towards peace and development in Afghanistan but said it was not enough. He alleged that the countries that have sent just “100 or 200 soldiers” in the war-ravaged countries claim to be involved in the peace-process. Trump criticised PM Modi for citing the library that India built in Afghanistan. He said the expense in a library is what US spend in five hours. “I could give you an example where I get along very well with India and Prime Minister Modi. But he is constantly telling me, he built a library in Afghanistan. Library! That's like five hours of what we spend (in Afghanistan)," Trump was quoted as saying by PTI.  "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," he said. (with input from agencies)