When new FBI chief Kash Patel chanted Jai Shree Krishna, supported Ram temple in Ayodhya

Kash Patel became the first Director of the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) of Indian origin on Friday. The Trump loyalist never shied away from showcasing his penchant for his Indian roots and liking for Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

Once, the 44-year-old Republican leader praised Ayodhya Ram Mandir’s consecration ceremony and even showered praise on Narendra Modi. In one of his previous videos, Kash Patel was seen chanting “Jai Shri Krishna” and even touching his parents’ feet as per Hindu traditions during the Senate confirmation hearing.

As Kash Patel never shied away from showing his Hindu heritage, here is what he said about Ayodhya Ram temple.

Kash Patel’s support for the Ayodhya Ram temple

Most of the foreign media outlets, especially in Washington, presented last year’s Ayodhya Ram temple consecration ceremony as a symbol of Hindu nationalism. Criticising their coverage of Ayodhya Ram temple, Kash Patel told Hindustan Times in an interview that “all the Washington newspapers only covered the last 50 years of history and forgot the 500 preceeding years.”

“Whether or not you are Hindu or Muslim, there was a Hindu temple there for one of the quintessential gods in the Hindu pantheon in 1500 that was toppled, and they have been trying to get it back for 500 years,” Patel told HT in an interview last year.

He also claimed that the coverage was a “disinformation campaign” harmful to India and PM Modi’s position.

Drawing a parallel between Modi and Trump

Kash Patel also drew a parallel between the foreign media’s coverage of Narendra Modi and Donald Trump and said that most newspapers used to cover both leaders in a similar fashion.

“I think they liken Trump and Modi as similar figures, and the establishment class in Washington doesn’t want that to be the case,” Kash Patel told HT in February 2024.

Praise for Modi and his relationship with Trump

Shedding light upon the relationship between PM Modi and Donald Trump (during his first presidency), Kash Patel said that the two leaders shared a “relationship of profound mutual respect.”

“The two world leaders were not just reading off cheat sheets, they were engaged, they didn’t need notes, they didn’t need teams to surround them. They worked together for the good of their countries,” said Patel while describing his experience working closely with Donald Trump and Narendra Modi. Patel was a part of the US delegation which accompanied Donald Trump during his India visit in 2020.