US Vice President and Democratic presidential candidate Kamala Harris and former US President and Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump. File | Photo credit: AFP

US presidential candidates Republican Donald Trump and Democrat Kamala Harris conveyed Deepavali wishes to all, with the former also promising to “protect Hindu Americans from the radical left's anti-religious agenda”.

Mr. Trump called Prime Minister Narendra Modi his “good friend,” accused Ms. Harris and President Joe Biden of ignoring Hindus and condemned violence in Bangladesh.

“…Strongly condemn the barbaric violence against Hindus, Christians and other minorities who are being attacked and pillaged by mobs in Bangladesh, which remains in complete chaos,” Trump said in a post on social media.

“I also wish everyone a happy Diwali. I hope that the Festival of Lights leads to the victory of good over evil!” said the former president.

A shorter message from Ms. Harris said: “Tonight we join more than a billion people across America and around the world in lighting diyas and the fight for good over evil, knowledge over ignorance and celebrate the light over the darkness…Happy Diwali to all who celebrate the festival of lights.”

In the evening, the Vice President also published a photo of her residence illuminated for the occasion. “To celebrate Diwali, we lit up the Vice President’s Residence and remember to see the light in our world, in each other and in ourselves,” Ms. Harris wrote.