Nick Muscavage

@nmuscavage

Organizers say event is on, but Trump’s campaign did not confirm

The event was originally scheduled to take place at the PNC Arts Center but was relocated to Edison

Trump issued statement in September saying he will attend and speak at the event on Oct. 15

EDISON - A small but dedicated sliver of Central Jersey’s Indian-American community is voicing support for Donald Trump.

Dave Makkar, executive secretary of the Indian-Americans for Trump 2016, said he is supporting the 2016 Republican presidential nominee because he agrees with the candidate’s views on business and foreign policies.

“I was the first one in the community to support Trump, and I took a lot of heat from a lot of people,” he said.

An event organized by the Republican Hindu Coalition offered its keynote address to Trump, who accepted the offer a month ago. “Humanity United Against Terror” is scheduled to start at noon Saturday at the New Jersey Convention and Expo Center in Edison. Trump is scheduled to take the stage for the keynote address at 7:45 p.m., according to the Republican Hindu Coalition.

The event, which is not a campaign rally, originally was scheduled to take place at the PNC Arts Center in Holmdel but was relocated to the Expo Center because of cold weather, according to members of the coalition.

Amar Dev Amar, a business professor, said that he has been a member of the Republican Hindu Coalition since last year.

“He (Trump) was going to appear at the PNC Center, but it got cold,” Amar said. “A number of Indians and Hindus have endorsed him.”

He said that he is supporting Trump because he agrees with his proposals, such as stronger immigration policies.

Trump appearing at the event is a significant accomplishment for the coalition, he said.

In September, Trump’s campaign issued a news release stating that the candidate “confirmed that he will deliver the keynote address at the Republican Hindu Coalition’s Humanity United Against Terror event at the PNC Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NJ on October 15.”

“I am looking forward to joining my good friend Shalli Kumar, founder and chairman of the Republican Hindu Coalition for this terrific event,” Trump said in the release. “The Hindu community has made fantastic contributions to world civilization and to American culture and we look forward to celebrating our shared values of free enterprise, hard work, family values, and a strong American foreign policy. I look forward to seeing you on October 15.”

Although organizers of the event said Trump will be attending, representatives from the nominee’s campaign were not aware of the event and Edison was not listed as a stop on Trump’s campaign schedule published on his website. The New Jersey Republican Committee, however, confirmed that Trump will be making an appearance at the event. A spokesperson for the committee said it is not a campaign event, but Trump will be making a keynote address there.

But at a time when politicians and people across the country are distancing themselves from the presidential nominee after the surfacing of a leaked tape obtained by the Washington Post showed the candidate making lewd comments about women in 2005, devoted Trump supporters from Central Jersey’s Indian-American community make the case for why they are supporting the businessman for president.

Trump does not support “regime change” and “exporting democracy” in other countries, which will “save lots of money for America,” Makkar said. “America needs money for its own people.”

Although the Indian-American community “by and large” is Democratic, Makkar said, Trump’s efforts to connect to the community’s small Republican contingent is a “good gesture” and could “incite some passion.”

Other Indian-Americans, however, would have nothing to do with Trump.

“I don’t think that Trump is really a representative of the Hindu community,” said Amit Jani, the state representative for South Asians for Hillary. “The main reason we’re really against Trump — especially coming from New Jersey where there’s such a heavy South Asian Indian population — he doesn’t speak for us. He really doesn’t understand the values that our community stands for.”

Jani, along with other Democratic officials, plans to host a news conference outside of the event’s venue at 2:30 p.m. Saturday, raising awareness for his preferred presidential candidate.

Some local Republican officials will attend the event to see Trump speak.

State Sen. Samuel Thompson, a Republican who represents parts of Middlesex County, plans to attend, according to a member of his staff.

For tickets to Saturday’s event, visit www.rhcusa.com. Proceeds will be donated to charities.

Staff Writer Nick Muscavage: 908-243-6615; ngmuscavage@gannettnj.com