Appropriate for US President to raise religious freedom issues with PM Modi: Barack Obama

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, June 22

Former US President Barack Obama has said President Joe Biden in his meeting with PM Narendra Modi should mention the need to protect the Muslim minority in a Hindu majority India. “Because if I had a conversation with PM Modi, who by the way I know well, part of my argument would be that if you do not protect the rights of ethnic minorities in India, then there is a strong possibility that at some point of time India will start pulling apart. We have seen what happens when you start getting such kinds of large internal conflicts. So that would be contrary not just to the interest of Muslim India but Hindu India. So, I think it’s important to be able to talk about these things honestly,’’ he said in an interview with noted TV anchor Christian Amanpour.

Amanpour had asked Obama on dealing with world figures like PM Modi who are “considered autocratic illiberal’’.

“It’s complicated. When I was President, I would deal with figures who were allies or partners. If you pressed me in private about the way they run governments and political parties democratically. I would say no.’’

“But you have to do business with them.. for national security reasons and there are a range of economic interests. I had to deal with China to get the Paris accords done. With Modi to get Paris accords done. It’s an issue that humanity has to deal with for the next several decades. But I do think it’s appropriate for the President of the US, where he and she can, to uphold these principles and to challenge behind closed doors or in public trends that are troubling

“And so not I am not concerned about labels or specific practices. I think it is important for the President of the US to say that if you have leaders in China who are placing people in mass camps, to be re-educated, that’s a challenge that’s a problem for all of us. And we have to pay attention to it.’’

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