India on Sunday rejected reported comments by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten expressing concerns about press freedom and minority rights in the country, with a senior official describing India as a “vibrant democracy” that guarantees free speech to all.
Jetten told reporters in The Hague before a meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi that “the Dutch government, too, has concerns regarding developments in India … not just about press freedom … but also about the rights of minorities, which are under severe pressure there,” according to Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant. Jetten said such concerns were “regularly raised” with India, but sources said the issue was not discussed during his bilateral meeting with Modi on Saturday.
Asked about the Dutch leader’s remarks, Siby George, secretary (West) in India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said they reflected “a lack of understanding.” He noted that India is home to 1.4 billion people and a civilization five millennia old. “There is no other country in the world where so many religions have originated — Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism,” George said, adding that all continue to flourish.
George said India’s Jewish population “never faced any persecution,” and that Christianity arrived “immediately after the resurrection of Jesus Christ” and now includes more than 30 million followers. “Christianity came to India much before it came to Europe,” he said. Islam, he added, arrived “during the time of Prophet Muhammad and flourished in India.”
Citing recent assembly elections, George said India is a vibrant democracy with a peaceful transition of power. He said the country 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,” George said. “Every minority thrives.” He said that at India’s independence, minority communities made up 11% of the population, and that the figure now stands at more than 20%.
