Nirmala Sitharaman’s remarks came after former US president, Barack Obama, in an interview with Christiane Amanpour, highlighted the condition of Muslim minorities in India
Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday, June 25, slammed former US president Barack Obama’s statement about minority rights in India, saying his remarks were surprising as six Muslim-majority countries had faced US “bombing” during his tenure.
She said prime minister Narendra Modi has received the highest civilian awards from 13 countries, including six with predominantly Muslim populations.
The finance minister alleged that “organised campaigns” were being run to level “baseless” allegations on the treatment meted out to minorities in India at the behest of the Opposition as it cannot electorally defeat the Modi-led BJP.
In an interview with Christiane Amanpour for CNN on Thursday, June 22 — when Modi was on his first official US state visit — Obama said if India does not protect the rights of ethnic minorities, there is a strong possibility at some point that the country “starts pulling apart”.
The former Democratic US president urged current president Joe Biden to bring up concerns around India’s treatment of Muslim minorities in his talks with Modi.
“I was surprised when Prime Minister Modi was…talking about India in front of everyone, a former US president was giving statements about Indian Muslims at that time,” the BJP leader said at a press conference at the party headquarters in New Delhi.
Sitharaman also took exception to the allegations by US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF), saying India wants to maintain a good relationship with the US but she is surprised to hear such statements.
“I am exercising restraint while speaking on foreign matters. We want a good friendship with the US. But from there also, USCIRF’s comments about religious tolerance in India comes and the former president is also saying something,” she added.
“Didn’t bombings happen in six countries — Syria, Yemen, Saudi and Iraq and other Muslim countries — during his term (as US President)? When he makes such allegations against India, will the people trust him?” she asked.
source: NH
