New Delhi: Union minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday criticized former US President Barack Obama’s statement about minority rights in India, saying his remarks were surprising as six Muslim-majority countries faced US “bombardment” during his tenure. Was.
He said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has received the highest civilian awards from 13 countries, out of which six are Muslim majority countries. The finance minister alleged that an “organised campaign” was being launched at the behest of the opposition to level “baseless” allegations on the treatment of minorities as the opposition could not electorally defeat the BJP under Modi.
In an interview with CNN on Thursday, Obama reportedly said that if India does not protect the rights of ethnic minorities, there is a strong possibility that at some point the country will begin to fall apart. I was surprised when Prime Minister Modi was talking about India in front of everyone, a former US President was making a statement about Indian Muslims at that time, Sitharaman said at a press conference at the BJP headquarters here.
Was it not during his tenure (as US President) that six countries – Syria, Yemen, Saudi and Iraq and other Muslim countries were bombed? Will trust.
Sitharaman also objected to the allegations of the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and said that India wants to maintain good relations with the US but she is surprised to hear such statements.
We want good friendship with America. He said, but from there also the comment of USCIRF about religious tolerance in India comes and the former President is also saying something. He said that it is also necessary to see who are the people behind them.
The minister alleged that the Congress is deliberately raising “non-issues” and making allegations “without facts” to vitiate the atmosphere of the country as the opposition party cannot defeat the BJP under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Responding to questions on allegations of discrimination against minorities, he alleged that the Congress party is running such campaigns and it was clearly visible in the last election and the previous elections, where they helped to change the government in India. Went to Pakistan to ask.
He said that whenever there is an issue, it is addressed at the state level as law and order is a state subject. I find it a deliberate attempt to vitiate the atmosphere in the country as they feel they cannot win against Prime Minister Modi’s development policies, he alleged. He said that they (Congress) have deployed their tool kits which work abroad.
Our opposition does not go abroad and talk in the interest of India because they cannot defeat Prime Minister Modi. from 13 countries and six of them have the largest Muslim population.
These (targeting the Modi government on minority issues) are organized campaigns. He said, otherwise why would the country give so much respect to PM Modi and why would there be a distortion in understanding how the minority population is a part of the Indian mainstream.
The Union Minister said, during his US visit, Prime Minister Modi said in a press conference that his government works on the principle of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ and does not discriminate against any community.