Reporter’s diary: Modi-Trump bonhomie on display at ‘Howdy, Modi’ event in Houston

Here’s how it happened:

A bright sunny day, after the tropical storm Imelda had hit few days ago, people trooped in the stadium since 5 am.

From 9.30 am to 10.50 am, there was a cultural programme, following which the US Congressional delegation including Democrat and House Majority leader Steny Hoyer, Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner, Governor of Kentucky Matt Bevin, Senators Ted Cruz, John Cornyn and about 20 members of Congress came onto the stage.

At 11.09 am, to the chants of “Modi” and drumbeats, Prime Minister Modi came on stage.

While Turner, Ted Cruz and John Cornyn spoke, with Modi listening, House Majority leader Steny Hoyer, a Democrat, underlined that like India must secure future according to “Gandhi’s teachings” and “Nehru’s vision” of India as a “secular democracy, with respect for pluralism and human rights”. “America and India must try to make its promises a reality for all our citizens,” he said.

President Trump and PM Modi walk around NRG Stadium waving to the crowd during the ‘Howdy, Modi’ event on Sunday. (AP)

There was silence in the crowd.

The Congressional delegation left the stage at around 11.31 am and were seated in the front row and there was a break till 12.02, when the cultural show resumed.

Then US President and Prime Minister arrived to cheers from the crowd, at 12.09 pm, national anthems of the US and India were played.

At 12:10 pm, Modi introduced Trump.

From here onwards, there were 112 times, the crowd applauded.

“Good morning, Houston. Good morning, Texas. Good morning, America. Greetings to my fellow Indians in India and around the world.”

As he introduced Trump, he called him “warm, friendly, accessible, energetic, and full of wit”. “I admire him for something more: his sense of leadership, a passion for America, a concern for every American, a belief in American future, and a strong resolve to make America great again.”

Trump, on stage, stood in attention and smiled through the introduction.

President Trump speaks addresses the event in Houston on Sunday. (AP)

President Trump delivers his speech:

“Hello, Houston. I am so thrilled to be here in the great state of Texas with one of America’s greatest, most devoted, and most loyal friends: Prime Minister Modi of India.

And Prime Minister Modi is doing a truly exceptional job for India and for all of the Indian people. It is my immense privilege to be here with him today at this profoundly historic event. We’re especially grateful to be joined by over 50,000 incredible members of our nation’s thriving, prospering, flourishing, and hardworking Indian American community.

Trump talks about border security

“Both India and the United States also understand that to keep our communities safe, we must protect our borders. Since taking office, my administration has launched a far-reaching effort to improve screening and vetting of applications for entry. We are working hard to ensure that those who would threaten our security are denied admission into our country. And we are enhancing our vetting efforts like never before. Not even close. We’re doing it on a daily basis, and we’ll soon be setting records at every one of the aspects of border security. Border security is vital to the United States. Border Security is vital to India. We understand that.

“Illegal immigration is deeply unfair to millions of wonderful, legal immigrants who work hard, pay their taxes, follow our rules, and obey our laws. Yet, there are those in Washington who would raid your healthcare to fund free benefits. They want to fund free benefits to those who enter our country illegally. We don’t want to do that.”

(At this point, the audience booed.)

He continued: “Because if we don’t do it, they won’t come.

Modi takes the stage

PM Modi addresses the crowd at the ‘Howdy, Modi’ event in Houston on Sunday. (PIB/PTI)

“Howdy, my friends. Today, I can see a reflection of the Texas spirit right here. The significance of this huge gathering is not limited to mere numbers, to arithmetic. Today, we are witnessing here the making of a new history and the making of a new chemistry, too.”

“The energy of NRG bears testimony to the growing synergy of India and the United States of America.”

Modi talks about the victory

Now, why did this happen? Who made it happen? No! Not because of Modi. This is because of the Indians.

Friends, Indians are known for their patience. However, now we are impatient. We are impatient for the development of our country. We are impatient to take the country to new heights in the 21st century. Today, the buzzword in India is “development.” The greatest model in India today is collective efforts, inclusive growth. Today, the biggest policy in India is public participation. Today, the strongest sentiment among Indians is the resolve to attain. And today, India’s greatest resolve is the creation of a new India.

PM on his achievements – sanitation to bank accounts

My friends, for us, ease of doing business is important to us. However, the ease of living is equally important. And the way to achieve this is by empowering people. It is only when the common man is empowered that social and economic development over the country will take place at a fast pace.

GST and tax refunds figure in Modi speech

“Friends, we are setting ourselves a challenge to do away with corruption, and we are working towards bidding farewell to it at all levels. In the last two or three years, India has also bid farewell to 350,000 shell companies. We have also bid farewell to over 80 million fake names, which existed just on paper in order to avail and to benefit from government schemes. And friends, can you imagine how much money we have saved by preventing it from falling into the wrong hands? Approximately 1.5 trillion rupees; that is almost 20 billion U.S. dollars.”

“In our country, we are creating a transparent ecosystem so that the benefits of development can be enjoyed by every Indian. And, brothers and sisters, depriving even one Indian of development is not acceptable to India.”

PM Modi and President Trump embrace after introductions at the ‘Howdy, Modi’ event on Sunday. (AP)

‘Got rid of Article 370’

“The country was also facing another challenge for the last 70 years — a challenge that India bid farewell to only recently.

“Aap samajh gaye, na? (You have understood, haven’t you?) And that is Article 370. Article 370 deprived the people of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh of development and equal rights. The forces funding terrorism and separatism were exploiting the situation. Now, the same rights that were given by the Constitution of India to the rest of Indians have now also been given to the people of Jammu, Kashmir, and Ladakh.

The discrimination against their women, children, and traditionally underprivileged has been put to an end. Friends, in the Upper and Lower Houses of our Parliament, this topic was debated extensively for hours, and the proceedings were also telecast live across the country and across the world. Although our party does not have a majority in the Upper House — that is in the Rajya Sabha — despite this, both Kouses of our Parliament, the Upper House and the Lower House, both of the Houses of our government passed all related decisions on this with a two-third majority.

I would like to request all of you — the parliamentarians of India should receive a standing ovation for what they have done. (Everyone stood up, except the US delegation including Trump)

I would like to reiterate the fact that President Trump is firmly committed to fighting this battle against terrorism. President Trump’s commitment to fight terrorism — let us give him a standing ovation for his commitment to fight terrorism. (Everyone stood up and gave a standing ovation, including the US delegation).

He ended his speech at 1:40 pm, came down the stage. And asked Trump to take a lap of the stadium together. They took the lap and both left the stadium.