A video of Republican US Presidential candidate Donald Trump saying ‘Abki Baar Trump Sarkar’ has gone viral on social media. A move seen as Trump's bid to woo the Indian-American Hindu community, the tagline is a direct lift from Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 2014 Lok Sabha election campaign, which was powered to a large extent by the slogan 'Abki Baar Modi Sarkar'.
In the run-up to the US Presidential election on November 4, Trump has been extensively participating in events organised by the Indian community in the US.
The 29-second video starts with "Happy Diwali" wishes, then shows clips of Republican Hindu Coalition (RHC) charity concert, and ends with Trump saying, "Abki Baar Trump Sarkar". The veracity of the video, however, could not be independently verified.
Recently, at a fundraiser programme of the RHC, Trump had praised the Hindu community's "fantastic" contribution to the world civilisation and American culture. “I am a big fan of Hindu and I am a big fan of India. If I am elected President, the Indian and Hindu community would have a true friend at the White House,” he had said.
Trump's decision is seen as an attempt to influence the small but powerful Indian-American community which might play a key role in some of the battleground states like Virginia, if the race is close.
According to an Economic Times report, Salabh (Shalli) Kumar, a Chicago-based Indian American businessman and chairman of the RHC, said that this is the the first time that a US presidential hopeful is reaching out exclusively to Indian Americans and Hindu community.