NEW DELHI: The Congress on Friday attacked the federal government over a controversial US Division of Homeland Safety (DHS) commercial focusing on “Mr Singh”. The opposition referred to as it an insult to all Indians and questioned why New Delhi had not issued a robust public rebuttal. The opposition get together accused the federal government of being “weak” and failing to firmly defend India’s pursuits and the dignity of Indians overseas.Congress common secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh mentioned the commercial, which used AI-generated imagery of a brown-bearded, turbaned man with messages together with “Get off our roads, you do not know learn how to drive Mr Singh” and “Self-deport or discover out”, was extremely offensive.“Modi ji, who has been showcasing his worldwide clout by calling Donald Trump his ‘buddy’ and who even coined the slogan ‘Abki Baar Trump Sarkar’ amongst Indian-People, is now seeing steady insults towards Indians and folks of Indian origin underneath his administration,” Ramesh mentioned.“But, the Modi authorities is behaving as if it’s a silent associate on this total episode. An especially offensive poster focusing on ‘Mr Singh’ was issued from the official deal with of the US Division of Homeland Safety, by which a turbaned Indian was threatened with strains like ‘Get off our roads’ and ‘Self-deport or discover out’,” he mentioned in a submit in Hindi on X.Ramesh mentioned the episode was not merely an insult to a person or neighborhood however to “the dignity of all Indians”. He mentioned the federal government ought to have strongly rebutted what he described as racial stereotyping and “this degree of governmental rudeness”.The DHS later eliminated the commercial following protests within the US, Ramesh mentioned. Nonetheless, he alleged that the division continued to defend the marketing campaign and its language via different official posts.“The query is: Why has there been no sturdy public rebuttal from the Modi authorities on this insult to Indians?” Ramesh mentioned.The Congress chief additionally linked the controversy to earlier cases by which he accused the federal government of failing to defend Indian pursuits earlier than the US administration. He recalled the deportation of Indians on US navy plane in handcuffs and leg shackles and the imposition of extra US tariffs on India.“Why has our diplomatic power turn into so feeble through the tenure of the Modi authorities, which boasts of being the ‘vishwaguru’, that India’s pursuits and sovereignty are dealing with one blow after one other?” Ramesh mentioned.“Why is the Modi authorities silent? Why does the Authorities of India maintain proving itself weak repeatedly?” he mentioned.Ramesh questioned whether or not the federal government’s relationship with US President Donald Trump meant that Washington might proceed to focus on Indians whereas India remained silent.“Friendship is essential in international coverage, however nationwide curiosity, the dignity of Indians, and India’s sovereignty are paramount, and there will be no compromise on them,” he mentioned.The controversy erupted after DHS used AI-generated imagery as a part of a marketing campaign towards unlicensed business drivers. The commercial confirmed a brown-bearded man and referred particularly to “Mr Singh”.The reference drew criticism from advocacy teams, together with the Hindu American Basis (HAF) and Sikh Coalition, which accused the US company of racial profiling.“Singhs are Hindu, they’re Sikhs, they’re American and so they drive. Racist, un-American, anti-Indian profiling/trolling by @DHSgov ought to shock our nation’s collective conscience,” the HAF mentioned on X.“It is a discriminatory submit by a federal company that’s far past political messaging, and we welcome an investigation,” the organisation mentioned, tagging Assistant Lawyer Normal Harmeet Okay Dhillon and FBI Director Kash Patel.The Sikh Coalition mentioned the incident confirmed that Sikhs continued to face profiling primarily based on their look.“Twenty-five years after 9/11, Sikhs are nonetheless being focused and profiled for the way we glance,” it mentioned.“Hundreds of thousands of Sikhs in the USA have the final title Singh, which implies lion. We stay fearless in figuring out as Sikhs even when our authorities portrays us as enemies,” the Sikh Coalition mentioned.Different DHS posts as a part of the marketing campaign featured characters from the Transformers franchise. One video confirmed Megatron negotiating the discharge of truck drivers Harjinder Singh, Rajinder Kumar, Bekzhan Beishekeev, Akhror Bozorov and Jasveer Singh, who the company mentioned had been concerned in street accidents and different crimes.“When you strategy this nation with hostile intent, know this. We’ll defend ourselves. We’ll defend Americanism. We’ll defend our house,” the DHS mentioned in a submit on X.
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One other submit featured Optimus Prime with a DHS arm patch confronting the brown-bearded man alongside the message: “Self-deport or discover out”.The controversy comes amid the DHS marketing campaign to advertise its CBP Residence programme, which permits eligible undocumented migrants to register their intention to go away the US voluntarily. These choosing self-deportation can obtain journey help and an exit bonus of USD 2,600, in accordance with the DHS.