TAP TO UNMUTE Democratic presidential candidate Rep. Tulsi Gabbard, D-Hawaii, holds a town hall at Keene State College, in Keene, N.H., on Wednesday, Feb. 5, 2020. | Photo Credit: AP

New Delhi: Have Delhi riots and the subsequent press coverage triggered a wave of ‘Hinduphobia’ globally? This is precisely the debate sparked off by US president hopeful Tulsi Gabbard by one her tweets on Thursday.

A prominent Democrat, Gabbard, retweeted an Indian’s account of her alleged interaction with a Uber driver in the United States over Delhi clashes which left her convinced that “one-sided and false international reporting of Delhi riots has to lead to more Hinduphobia”.

The account of the incident was shared by one Dr Sheenie Ambardar on Twitter which was retweeted by Gabbard.

“Went through a traumatic experience today, where an Uber driver targeted me for my religious and ethnic identity. After confirming that I was an Indian Hindu, he started ranting about how "you Hindus are killing Muslims in India" adding that Hindus were destroying Mosques,” read the post.

Unfortunately, Hinduphobia is very real. I've experienced it directly in each of my campaigns for Congress & in this presidential race. Here's just one example of what Hindus face every day in our country. Sadly, our political leaders & media not only tolerate it, but foment it. https://t.co/60MDtszQHf — Tulsi Gabbard (@TulsiGabbard) March 5, 2020

The Indian who had the uncomfortable conversation also stated that she tried to reason with the Uber driver that both Hindus and Muslims were killed in violent clashes which spanned over two days on February 24 ad 25.

“We tried to tell him that this is not true and in the communal riots in Delhi members of both communities have died. He kept getting angrier and despite me requesting him to stop all conversation he kept on accusing and at one point got so angry, he stopped the car and asked me and my sister to get down,” the account read.

“Only after I said that I will call the police he calmed down. This was a very scary incident which could have become worse. Goes to show how the one-sided and false International reporting of Delhi riots has lead to more Hinduphobia,” it added.

Gabbard, the first Hindu in US Congress and a member of US House committees on Foreign Affairs and Armed Forces, lamented ‘Hinduphobia is very real’, adding she experienced it first hand during her presidential campaign.

“Unfortunately, Hinduphobia is very real. I've experienced it directly in each of my campaigns for Congress and in this presidential race. Here's just one example of what Hindus face every day in our country. Sadly, our political leaders & media not only tolerate it but foment it,” the US Congresswoman wrote in her tweet.

The identity of the Indian who went through the purported conversation - as tweeted by Dr Sheenie Ambardar - could not be established.