NEW DELHI: Amidst the govt’s strong assertion in the wake of US’s 25% tariff imposition that the country will protect its interests, former prime minister H D Deve Gowda on Friday reacted angrily to American President Donald Trump‘s remarks on India, calling him the most “volatile, uncivil and irresponsible” head of state in modern history.In a statement, the JD(S) leader said he was “surprised” by Trump’s “baseless and ill-tempered remarks” on India and the Indian economy. “I don’t think modern history has seen another head of state who has been so volatile, uncivil and irresponsible. Mr Trump has behaved badly not just with India, but with every other country across the world. He has not spared his own longstanding allies,” Gowda said.Responding to Trump’s characterisation of Indian economy as “dead”, the former prime minister said, “India has been the fastest growing economy and is the fifth largest economy in the globe. Mr Trump must either be blind or ill-informed to designate our economy as ‘dead’.”He praised Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s govt for standing firm against Trump’s “bullying”. “I am very happy and proud that India, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has not compromised our national interest. It has not blinked to Mr Trump’s bullying and has shown that it will never be dictated by threat.”Gowda also rebuked some opposition leaders who had “rejoiced” at the statements of Trump and “jumped to be his deluded spokespersons in India”.