Delhi on Sunday rejected Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten’s reported comments on press freedom and the rights of minorities in India, saying the country is a “vibrant democracy” that guarantees free speech to all.
According to Dutch newspaper, De Volkskrant, PM Jetten told reporters at The Hague, before meeting Prime Minister Narendra Modi, that “the Dutch government, too, has concerns regarding developments in India…It is not just about press freedom…but also about the rights of minorities, which are under severe pressure there.”
According to Jetten, who was quoted by the Dutch newspaper, these concerns are “regularly raised” with the Indian government. Sources, however, said the issue was not raised during the bilateral meeting between Jetten and Modi on Saturday.
Asked about the Dutch PM’s comments on the situation of minorities and media freedom, Secretary (West), Ministry of External Affairs, Siby George said: “We face this question basically because of a lack of understanding by the person who asked it. India is a country of 1.4 billion people — the most populous nation in the world.”
He said India belongs to a civilisation that is five millennia old. “Look at India, how beautiful it is. There is no other country in the world where so many religions have originated — Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. These religions originated in India and continue to flourish,” George said.
“India is perhaps one of those very few countries where the Jewish population never faced any persecution. This is the beauty of India,” he said.
“Christianity came to India immediately after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and continues to flourish in India. Today, more than 30 million Christians are in India. Christianity came to India much before it came to Europe.”
George further said, “Islam came to India during the time of Prophet Muhammad and flourished in India.”
Citing the recently held Assembly elections in the country, the MEA’s Secretary (West) said India is a vibrant democracy where peaceful transition of power is a key feature.
George said India achieved economic success without “compromising” on democratic principles. “We did not go for violence to eliminate poverty. We went through the democratic process to eliminate poverty.” “We are one-sixth of the total population of the world, but not one-sixth of the problems of the world. This is the beauty of India, which makes us proud. Every minority thrives (in India),” he said.
“When we became independent, the minority population was 11%; now it is more than 20T,” he said, emphasising that people from all faiths live happily in India.
