US President Donald Trump's tweets on Diwali, a week after the festival, caused a flap on Twitter with an omission that was widely called out. The first tweet described Diwali as a "holiday observed by Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains", missing any reference to Hindus.
However, in another tweet, he wrote: "It was my great honour to host a celebration of Diwali, the Hindu Festival of Lights, in the Roosevelt Room at the @WhiteHouse this afternoon. Very, very special people!"
Reports say the problem was that Donald Trump's tweets, based on his prepared speech, were out of sequence and his first tweet was deleted and reposted.
His first tweet was from the second part of the Diwali speech. The second also didn't mention Hindus. It took three tries.
The gap between the tweets, though miniscule, was enough to fire up Twitter.
One user, Jeff Young, tweeted: "Hey, whoever wrestled Trump's phone away to post this: Pretty sure Hindus also have some interest in Diwali."
Hey, whoever wrestled Trump's phone away to post this: Pretty sure Hindus also have some interest in Diwali pic.twitter.com/eC27oXSoW0
- Jeff Yang (@originalspin) November 14, 2018
Trump's Twitter account posted a Diwali tweet that didn't mention Hindus, then deleted it, then... reposted it again with a different link but still no Hindus? pic.twitter.com/6zRqLzOA0r
- Tom Phillips (@flashboy) November 13, 2018
Good to see Indian culture in US. Why to mention any caste or religion.
— Vikaas Verma (@Vikaas007) November 14, 2018
But since u have mentioned.. let me tell u .. u forgot Hindus for whom it's biggest festival.
Trump began his Diwali speech saying, "I'm thrilled to be here for the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights." But he left Hindus out later while listing the communities that celebrate the festival.
He told the small gathering at the White House Diwali celebration that they were a "very impressive group". "Now I know you are very important, very impressive", Trump read out from his prepared text: "I am thrilled to be here for the celebration of Diwali, the Hindu festival of lights and I am honoured to host this beautiful ceremony at the White House."
Then veering off his text, he added, "Very, very special people."
He interrupted the speech to talk about the wildfires that have killed more than 40 people in California.
The President then resumed his Diwali speech and continued: "We are gathered today to celebrate a very special holiday observed by Buddhists, Sikhs and Jains throughout the US and around the world."
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