‘People say stupid stuff all the time’: Marco Rubio on racism against Indians

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday reiterated that racist comments targeting Indians in the United States should not be viewed as representative of American society stating that ldquopeople say stupid stuff all the timerdquo on social mediaRubio made the remarks while responding to questions during his visit to New Delhi where he addressed concerns related to racism against Indians living in the United StatesRubio says online comments may come from trolls or botsClarifying his earlier remarks made during a press conference on Sunday Rubio said he believed the question referred primarily to online comments and social media activityldquoI assumed that he was talking about people posting stuff online Some of those could be a troll a botrdquo Rubio saidHe added that offensive and insensitive comments are not unique to any one country and are unfortunately common across social media platforms worldwideldquoPeople say stupid stuff all the time on social media and in every country in the world unfortunatelyrdquo he saidUS remains welcoming country says RubioRubio stressed that isolated racist comments made by individuals should not be treated as a reflection of the United States as a wholeHe described the US as a welcoming and immigrantfriendly country and said such remarks do not represent broader American valuesDuring a joint press conference with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Sunday Rubio had strongly defended the US against allegations of widespread racism and said the country continues to remain open to people from across the worldHe also said concerns related to discriminatory remarks are taken seriously by American authoritiesRubio praises IndiaUS relationshipThe US Secretary of State also highlighted the strong ties between India and the United States during his interaction with the mediaRubio said US President Donald Trump shares a close relationship with Prime Minister Narendra Modi and holds India in high regardldquoThe President loves India and is a big fan of Prime Minister Modirdquo Rubio saidHe also referred to the appointment of US Ambassador to India Sergio Gor as a sign of the importance Washington places on its relationship with New DelhiPakistan mediation role not discussed says RubioRubio was also asked whether India had raised concerns over Pakistanrsquos reported role as a mediator in the USIran situationResponding to the question Rubio said the matter did not come up during discussions with Indian officialsHowever he acknowledged Indiarsquos longstanding concerns regarding crossborder terrorism originating from Pakistani territoryldquoIndia is always pointing to the fact that there are armed terrorist groups operating from Pakistani territory that target Indiardquo Rubio saidAt the same time he noted that Indiarsquos concerns regarding Pakistan are separate from any role Islamabad may have played in facilitating communication related to IranRubio calls India key US strategic partnerComparing his recent visits to India and China Rubio described both countries as globally important but referred to India as a major democratic and strategic ally of the United StatesldquoIndia is the most populous country in the world Itrsquos a democracy Itrsquos a strong strategic ally of the United Statesrdquo Rubio saidHis remarks come amid ongoing efforts by both countries to strengthen strategic cooperation trade relations and diplomatic engagement across multiple sectorsWith inputs from Agencies