US has 'condemned' comments made by two BJP officials on Prophet: State Department

New Delhi, June 17

The US State Department has said that it has condemned the offensive comments made by two BJP officials about Prophet Mohammed.

“We were glad to see that the party (BJP) publicly condemned those comments,’’ said State Department spokesperson Ned Price in response to a question from a Pakistani journalist on “hate crimes committed by thge Indian Government against Muslims and other minorities.’’

Price also hoped that India, like some other countries, would gradually reorient its ties with Moscow. “India’s relationship with Russia is one that developed over the course of decades, and it developed over the course of decades at a time when the United States wasn’t prepared or able to be a partner of choice for the Indian Government. That has changed,’’ he observed.

On the recent Prophet related controversy in India, Price elaborated by stating that the US regularly engages with the Indian Government at senior levels on human rights concerns, including freedom of religion or belief, and encourages India to promote respect for human rights.

The Secretary of State Anthony Blinken during his New Delhi visit last year had stated that people of both countries believe in the fundamental tenets of human dignity and respect, equality of opportunity, and the freedom of religion or belief. “These are, these are fundamental values within any democracy, and we speak up for them around the world,’’ said Price.

Asked if the US side is talking with the Indian authorities on cutting down on ties with Moscow, Price said India’s relationship with Russia developed over the course of decades, at a time when the US wasn’t a partner of choice for the Indian Government. “That has changed. This is a legacy of a bipartisan tradition. That has been the case for more than two decades. As countries reorient their relationship with Moscow, as we have seen many of them do, this will be a gradual process,’’ observed Price.

“But throughout it all, we have made clear to our Indian partners that we are there for them, we are ready and able and willing to partner with them, and we’ve done just that. Of course, we had a 2 2 dialogue with our Indian partners not too long ago. We will see Prime Minister Modi once again in the context of the I2-U2,’ he said.