NEW DELHI: The Congress has accused Prime Minister Narendra Modi of violating Indian foreign policy's "time-honoured principle" of not interfering in the domestic elections of another country by campaigning for US President Donald Trump at the 'Howdy Modi' event in Houston.
In a series of tweets, Congress senior spokesperson Anand Sharma said Modi was in the US as India's Prime Minister and not a star campaigner in the US elections.
"Mr Prime Minister, you have violated the time-honoured principle of Indian foreign policy of not interfering in the domestic elections of another country. This is a singular disservice to the long-term strategic interests of India," Sharma said on Twitter after the Howdy Modi event in Texas on Sunday night.
"Our relationship with the United States of America have throughout been bipartisan, vis-à-vis Republicans and Democrats. Your actively campaigning for Trump is a breach of both India and America as sovereign nations and democracies," he added.
Sharma's party colleague, P Chidambaram, who is in Tihar jail on charges of alleged corruption, also took a dig at the prime minister over his "Everything is fine in India" remark in Houston.
"Bharat mai sab achha hai. Except for unemployment, loss of existing jobs, lower wages, mob violence, lockdown in Kashmir and throwing Opposition leaders in prison," Chidambaram tweeted through his family.
On Sunday night in Houston, PM Modi cheered for Trump's 2020 re-election bid, by saying "Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar", as the US president joined him at the mega gathering of over 50,000 Indian-Americans.
He also introduced US President as "my friend, a friend of India" and as someone who "has left a deep and lasting impact everywhere."
Trump returned the compliment during his remarks, lavishing praise on Modi and calling him "a great man and a great leader."
Welcoming Trump, Modi said, "We have met a few times, and every time he has been the same warm, friendly, energetic and accessible. I admire him also for his sense of leadership and passion for America."
"We in India connected well with President Trump and with the words of candidate Trump, 'Abki Baar, Trump Sarkar', rang loud and clear," Modi said, rephrasing his successful election slogan 'Abki Baar, Modi Sarkar'.
Trump responded with a smile.
Trump, a Republican, has already announced that he will seek a second term at the White House in the general elections in 2020.