The Controversy Over Barack Obama’s Criticism of India’s Treatment of Minorities

 Barack Obama’s recent remark on India’s approach towards minority rights has caused a stir in the nation’s political circles. The former US President was criticized by the likes of Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, and Union Minister Hardeep Puri for his comments. Obama’s statement on India’s treatment of its minority came shortly after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s highly successful visit to the United States.

Modi won the hearts of Americans with his historic speech on democratic rights at the US Congress. “Obama ji should not forget that India is the only country which considers all the people living in the world as family members… He should also think about himself as to how many Muslim countries he has attacked," said Defence Minister Rajnath Singh while addressing a query on Obama’s remark at an event. Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also targeted Obama for his interview, in which he comments on Indian Muslims, saying that under his rule, “six Muslim-majority countries were bombed with more than 26,000 bombs." Former Commissioner of the United States Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) Johnnie Moore also hit out at the former US President’s statement about minority rights in India, saying that the ex-President should spend his energy complimenting India more than criticizing it.

“India is the most diverse country in human history. It’s not a perfect country, just like the US is not a perfect country, but its diversity is its strength,” Moore said. BJP leader and former Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi also joined the trail and said “Today, all the sections of the society are developing. Today riots like 84 are not happening in the country.” Union Minister Hardeep Puri also criticized Obama for his remarks and said “India is not only the largest democracy but the mother of democracy - there is a lot of ways to way out of frustration but facts backfire." Obama had reportedly said that “India may soon begin to pull out if it doesn’t do enough to protect the rights of the minority community in India.”

The debate over Obama’s remarks on India’s minority rights shows the nation’s political diversity. While the former US President must be given credit for expressing concern about the issues facing Indian minorities, many of the BJP leaders’ comments were in direct contradiction to his views. The Indian political class has made it clear that they are determined to protect the rights of all minorities in the country. Prime Minister Modi has made it one of the central tenets of his government and the BJP’s ideology. While it is important to remember that India is not a perfect country, the nation has made significant strides in protecting the rights of its minorities. The country has a long history of religious and cultural tolerance and it is something that should be celebrated.