Donald Trump’s 71st Birthday: Hindu Sena Throws a Party

New Delhi: US President Donald Trump may be ringing in his 71st birthday amid a US Senate investigation into possible collusion with Russia during the 2016 election, but thousands of miles away, a group he has probably never heard of organized a birthday bash for the billionaire President. Hindu Sena, a radical fringe Hindu outfit, celebrated Trump’s birthday, complete with a birthday cake, at New Delhi’s Jantar Mantar on Wednesday.

A small tent was erected at the designated protest site near Jantar Mantar and decorated with saffron and blue balloons. At 1 pm, Vishnu Gupta, leader of the Hindu Sena, got out of his car with a cake weighing 7.1 kg, to mark their “messiah’s" 71st birthday. A group of men, all owing allegiance to Trump, scurried to put up pictures of the 45th US President, including one of baby Trump, on the tent wall. In addition to a handful of Hindu Sena workers and a few media persons, nobody really turned up for Gupta’s party.

Speaking to News 18, Gupta was all praises for Trump, who he believes is the “savior of humanity". He even hopes Prime Minister Narendra Modi will “learn from Trump" on ways to fight “radical Islamic terror" – a phrase Trump threw up repeatedly during the 2016 US Presidential election campaign. “This is not the first time we are celebrating his birthday. We are his fans because he has said what was in the entire world’s heart. He said he would fight against radical Islamic terrorism and win. He has won. Radical Islamic terrorists are now hiding in the ground," he said.

Gupta even has birthday presents he would like to send to his hero and his choice of courier service is rather unusual. “I have received many gifts from Donald Trump’s supporters in India. I would like to send at least one of those gifts to Mr. Trump. Prime Minister Modi is meeting Donald Trump Ji later this month. If I get in touch with the PM, I will request him to take the gift and give it to the President. I am sure that their meeting will be nice and positive."

This is not the first time Hindu Sena has gathered at Jantar Mantar to show solidarity with Trump, considered a polarizing figure in American politics. In May last year, when Trump was still just a candidate, the outfit held a Havan to pray for his victory in the elections. In October, they burnt posters of Hillary Clinton, former US Secretary of State and Trump’s opponent, for “defaming the savior of humanity". A day before Trump was sworn in as the 45th American President, the outfit even held their own ‘Raj Tilak’ (Coronation) ceremony for him.