Indians have hit back at Donald Trump’s praise for their country as a “free society” during his UN speech, saying he should leave the nation “alone” and restore ties with Iran so that swelling oil prices can be reduced.

Addressing the 73rd United Nations assembly at its headquarters in New York on Tuesday, the US president praised India for freeing millions from the clutches of poverty.

“There is India, a free society of over a billion people, successfully lifting countless millions out of poverty and into the middle class,” said Trump.

On the other hand, the president blasted Iran, which has just been slapped with fresh sanctions that are due to take effect in November, for “sowing chaos, death and destruction.”

Trump’s address came shortly before it was reported on Bloomberg that India would stop purchasing crude oil from Iran in November, NDTV reports.

In August, Trump threatened that any country which carried on trading with Iran “will not be doing business with the United States.”

The Iran sanctions have officially been cast. These are the most biting sanctions ever imposed, and in November they ratchet up to yet another level. Anyone doing business with Iran will NOT be doing business with the United States. I am asking for WORLD PEACE, nothing less! — Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 7, 2018

As India relies on Iran for the import of cheap crude oil, its severing of ties with Tehran will likely not go down well among its population. Earlier this month, opposition parties organized rallies against soaring oil prices which they said were making Indian people’s lives unaffordable.

The public expressed their frustration on Twitter as they responded to Trump’s address, saying: “We will continue to flourish, if u let us do so, if u let us live in peace,” one person wrote.

She went on:

We will continue to flourish , if u let us do so, if u let us live in peace. Your so called "Sanctions" are hurting the Indian Economy, Balance your relations with Iran , Mr.President, so that the oil prices can come down. — Kirti Upadhyay (@KirtiUpadhyay13) September 26, 2018

Another added:

Yeah! As they toe our line and stop oil from Iran. — DXing (@justDSingh) September 26, 2018

The president’s assembly speech, which claimed that India was a “free society” lifting millions out of poverty, echoed a UN report earlier this month which found India's poverty rate had nearly halved over the past decade as 271 million moved out of poverty since 2005-06.

But the address also conflicted with figures published this week showing that India has reached its highest level of unemployment in 20 years. That is compounded by the fact that the majority of men and women are earning less than Rp 10,000 ($138) a month.

READ MORE: ‘Developing nation’ US can’t afford to subsidize India & China, says Trump

Reacting to the president’s speech, one social media user said that – far from embodying the values of what the president described as a “free society” – India’s “cows and gaumutra have more dignity here than humans.”

India free society? Cows & gaumutra have more dignity here than humans. — KaKes KK (@kakeskkd) September 26, 2018

One person called into question the extent to which people had been alleviated of financial burdens, saying:

Thanks to #IncompetentModi, living hand-to-mouth has become the reality for Indian middle class pic.twitter.com/DjCnGcqoxe — INC-Tharoorian (@Tharoorian_INC) September 25, 2018

He went on to give a substantial list of reasons why such a grandiose description of India by Trump is questionable.

"The middle class is palpably disaffected, the informal economy is struggling, big business is quiet, and the clamour for infrastructure and skill development has all but died."https://t.co/6KVxyTWagW … … … #IncompetentModiGovt — INC-Tharoorian (@Tharoorian_INC) September 25, 2018

If you like this story, share it with a friend!