Donald Trump’s Indian Fan Club

Sajjad Hussain—AFP

Right-wing Hindu group praises U.S. presidential hopeful’s controversial plans to ban entry to Muslims.

Donald Trump may face a long, tough road to the White House, but some fans in India at least are pulling together to try and get him divine assistance.

A far-right Hindu group held prayers this week in the Indian capital to support the presumptive Republican presidential nominee whom they hailed a fighter and a savior of humanity.

Vishnu Gupta said his fringe Hindu Sena outfit backed the U.S. billionaire’s suggestions to temporarily ban Muslims from travelling to America and to crack down on extremist groups. “We are great fans of Trump. We really like his thoughts on various subjects,” Gupta told AFP.

“We totally support Trump’s call to ban Muslims from entering the U.S. In fact Mr. Modi should take a similar stand,” he said, referring to Indian Hindu nationalist Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Trump made his comments during the Republican race underway in the United States to decide his party’s candidate for the country’s November presidential elections. The real estate tycoon has also during his campaign made fun of Indian call center workers and accused foreigners of stealing American jobs.

But Gupta is undeterred, and this week held a prayer session on a blanket in a New Delhi protest park with a handful of devotees. Together they lit a ritual fire alongside pictures and posters of Trump sporting a Hindu bindi on his forehead, together with posters of Hanuman—the Hindu god of strength and courage.

“America needs a firebrand leader like Trump. If Trump goes on to become president, he can help India fight Islamic terror,” Gupta said. “Trump is the only one who can save humanity.”