Sanjay Raut: Shiv Sena (UBT) leader Sanjay Raut has posted on X urging the United States President Donald Trump to be more careful in wishing global political leaders. Raut was referring to Trump’s post congratulating the Indian PM Narendra Modi on the West Bengal Assembly election results.
The post by Rajya Sabha MP Sanjay Raut quickly triggered a massive online backlash, with netizens accusing him of internationalizing India’s internal political matters and seeking foreign validation for domestic opposition narratives.
Reaction Of Sanjay Raut To Trump’s Congratulatory Post
Raut reacted strongly, questioning both the fairness of the election process and the appropriateness of any international endorsement. In his statement addressed to Trump, Raut claimed that the Bengal elections were conducted under an atmosphere of “fear, intimidation and systemic pressure.” He alleged that the Election Commission failed to function impartially and suggested that central agencies and security deployments created coercive conditions rather than democratic confidence.
Raut further argued that democracy is not merely about holding elections, but ensuring they are “free, fair and credible.” The Shiv Sena UBT leader also referenced concerns raised by Mamata Banerjee and questioned whether Trump had adequately considered these allegations before praising PM Modi.
Social Media Reactions
Social media users across platforms sharply criticized Raut for what they viewed as an unnecessary attempt to drag a foreign political figure into India’s democratic processes. Many users argued that Indian elections are overseen by constitutional institutions and that political disagreements should remain within the country’s democratic framework rather than being amplified internationally.
Several users also pointed out the irony of invoking Trump, a polarizing global figure himself who has often accused by critics of challenging democratic norms himself, as a moral reference point in debates about electoral fairness.
Social Media Comments
A user commented, “Why is Sanjay Raut dragging Donald Trump into India’s internal politics? India’s democracy does not need foreign certification. Focus on rebuilding Shiv Sena UBT instead of writing political letters overseas.” Another user commented, “If Shiv Sena UBT spent half this energy on development and public issues, their political situation would look very different today. Foreign drama won’t solve local failures.”
Another user wrote, “Every election loss becomes a democracy crisis for some leaders. Blaming institutions and involving foreign politicians is getting old now. Respect voters instead of creating panic narratives.”
