Lack of understanding: India rejects Dutch concerns over press freedom, minorities

Addressing the media at The Hague, Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) Sibi George said criticism of India often stemmed from inadequate knowledge about the country's social and democratic fabric.

In Short

• MEA calls such views a result of lack of understanding about India
• Calls India a 5,000-year-old civilisation with vast religious diversity
• Minority population growth cited as proof of inclusivity and coexistence

India on Sunday pushed back against reported remarks by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten over press freedom and minority rights in the country, with the government asserting that such observations stem from a “lack of understanding” about India’s democratic and civilisational character.

New Delhi was responding to questions raised by a Dutch journalist over the absence of a joint press interaction, as well as concerns regarding media freedom and the rights of minorities, including Muslims and smaller communities. The response came during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands as part of his five-nation Europe tour.

The concerns referenced by the journalist were linked to remarks Jetten had made to local Dutch media ahead of his meeting with PM Modi at the Catshuis, the Dutch Prime Minister’s official residence in The Hague. According to reports in Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, Jetten spoke about concerns within the Netherlands and other European Union member states over developments in India under the BJP government.

“It is not only about press freedom, but also about the rights of minorities, who are under severe pressure. That applies in the first place to the Muslim community, but also to many other smaller communities,” Jetten was quoted as saying by De Volkskrant. “The concern is to what extent India remains an inclusive society where the same rights apply to everyone,” he reportedly added.

MEA HIGHLIGHTS INDIA'S RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY

Addressing the media at The Hague, Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) Sibi George said criticism of India often stemmed from inadequate knowledge about the country’s social and democratic fabric. “We face these kinds of questions basically because of the lack of understanding of the person who asks the question,” George said.

Defending India’s democratic credentials, George described the country as a vibrant and pluralistic society with a civilisation dating back over 5,000 years.

“India is a country of 1.4 billion people, the largest populated country in the world. A country of civilisation of more than 5000 years old. It’s a diverse country – diversity in terms of culture, diversity in terms of languages, diversity in terms of food, diversity in terms of religion,” he said.

George noted that four major religions – Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism – originated in India and continue to flourish in the country. “There is no other country in the world where four religions have originated,” he said.

The diplomat also pointed to the long presence of other faiths in India, saying Jewish communities had lived in the country for over 2,500 years without persecution, while Christianity and Islam had also prospered for centuries.

“Christianity came to India immediately after the resurrection of Jesus Christ and continued to flourish in India. Islam came to India during the time of Prophet Muhammad himself and flourished in India,” he added.

CALLS INDIA A VIBRANT DEMOCRACY

George further cited India’s electoral process and peaceful transitions of power as evidence of the country’s democratic strength.“Recently, we had elections. You need to know what the level of participation was. More than 90 per cent of the electorate voted. This is the beauty of India,” he said.

Calling India a “vibrant democracy”, George said the country achieved economic progress and poverty reduction through democratic means without compromising on democratic principles. “We did not go for violence to eliminate poverty. We went through the democratic process to eliminate poverty,” he said.

He also argued that the growth in India’s minority population reflected coexistence and inclusivity. “When we became independent, the minority population in India was 11 per cent. Now it is more than 20 per cent. Name a country where the population of minorities has gone up? You won't find it anywhere other than India,” George said.

“This is the beauty of India. I would request you to learn more about India so that you will have more appreciation of what India is, and how it is progressing,” he added.

However, in a social media post after meeting PM Modi, Jetten said both India and the Netherlands attached “great importance to democracy, good governance and a world order based on rules and justice”.

He also referred to a long-running child custody dispute that has featured in earlier diplomatic engagements between the two countries.

- Ends