New Delhi: The Congress has hit back with sarcasm after US President Donald Trump praised India’s election system and brought Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar into his pitch for tougher voter-ID rules in America.
On Tuesday, senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha MP Pawan Khera told the US president to “take” Gyanesh Kumar to America — and leave him there — while offering to air-freight India’s EVMs at the earliest.
Khera’s Full Post On X
In a message on X, Khera wrote: “Dear @realDonaldTrump, please take Gyanesh Kumar to America. And keep him there. We will send our EVMs too by the next available flight. For all the insults and bullying you’ve sent our way, this is the least we can do for you. To SIR, With Love, from India.”
Khera’s comments came after Donald Trump publicly cited India’s election system to bolster his push for the Safeguard American Voter Eligibility (SAVE) Act.
Trump Invokes India To Sell SAVE Act
Trump’s remarks appeared on Truth Social, where he recalled a reported exchange with India’s poll chief: “Earlier this month, India’s Chief Election Commissioner, Gyanesh Kumar, asked our Administration: How can you have Elections in the US without a valid Photo ID?”
Citing India’s 2024 general election, Trump said: “India’s last Election had 646,000,000 Voters! Less than 1 per cent voted by mail, and every single Voter had to have a VALID Photo Identity Document.”
He then reiterated his demand for legislative action: “We need to pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT, now!”
According to the White House, the proposed law is meant to ensure that only US citizens take part in federal elections, requiring would-be voters to show valid ID and proof of citizenship when registering.
“American citizens — and only American citizens — should decide American elections,” the White House said, calling the SAVE Act a “common sense, bipartisan bill.”
US Envoy Backs Trump, Cites India
US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor backed Trump’s call for nationwide voter-ID rules under the SAVE Act, holding up India’s 2024 Lok Sabha poll as a global benchmark for authentication, as reported by NDTV.
In a post on X, Gor said: “President Donald J Trump is absolutely correct! 646 MILLION voters, every single one required an ID in India’s last election. Congress should pass THE SAVE AMERICA ACT!”
Congress’s Criticism Of Poll Panel
Congress has repeatedly accused that CEC Gyanesh Kumar favours the ruling BJP. Kumar and the Election Commission have consistently denied these claims, saying India’s elections remain “free and fair.”