(Image source from: The New York Times)

An Indian origin California Democrat Kamala Harris has apologized for laughing and saying “well said” in response to a question from an Indian man who termed President Donald Trump’s actions “mentally retarded”.

Denying she had heard the offensive term, the 54-year-old presidential candidate termed the video, which circulated on social media, as “upsetting”.

"When my staff played the video from my town hall yesterday, it was upsetting. I didn't hear the words the man used in that moment, but if I had I would've stopped and corrected him. I'm sorry. That word and others like it aren't acceptable. Ever," Harris said in a tweet on Saturday.

When my staff played the video from my town hall yesterday, it was upsetting. I didn’t hear the words the man used in that moment, but if I had I would’ve stopped and corrected him. I’m sorry. That word and others like it aren’t acceptable. Ever. https://t.co/mNmo1hyNpW

— Kamala Harris (@KamalaHarris) September 7, 2019

A man hailing from Chennai at the Londonderry town hall on Friday said he had spent all this effort to live the American dream and then Trump was elected, according to a report by CNN.

"Somehow a racist bigot gets into the White House and then he says if you're not my color you need to go back to your own country," said the man.

"So I am scared for this country. I am scared for the people of color in this country," he said.

He then asked Harris what she would do, "in the next one year, to diminish the mentally retarded action of this guy?" the report said. He was applauded and the crowd laughed.

Harris too laughed and responded: "Well said, well said"... "I plan to win this election, I'll tell you that," she was quoted as saying in the report.

"Thank you for having the courage to stand up and say it is that there are a lot of people living with extreme fear right now in our country, extreme fear," Harris said.

The arguable video made rounds on Twitter hours after Harris had taken the stage at the New Hampshire Democratic Party Convention. Many criticized her for her positive response to the man, prompting her to tender an apology.

By Sowmya Sangam