New Delhi: The question raised by former US President Barack Obama about the tense conditions in which the minorities, particularly the Muslim community, live under the government of PM Modi drew criticism from the BJP, which launched a scathing attack on the former US President.
As Prime Minister Narendra Modi concluded his official visits to the United States and Egypt, Obama's comments on minority Muslims in India were responded to by the BJP, questioning his integrity by bringing up the US attacks on Muslim countries when he was president.
Addressing reporters at the BJP headquarters in New Delhi, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman expressed her surprise at Obama's statement, emphasizing the desire for a strong friendship with the United States.
Sitharaman pointed out that during Obama's presidency, the US had conducted airstrikes in six Muslim-majority countries. She raised concerns about recurring comments from abroad regarding India's religious tolerance and suggested the Congress party's involvement in such campaigns against the Prime Minister and his government.
Sitharaman accused the Congress party of orchestrating campaigns to target PM Modi and his administration, highlighting their inability to win elections against the ruling BJP-NDA government. Referring to Congress leaders seeking assistance from Pakistan to change India's government, Sitharaman claimed that Congress had activated toolkits and resorted to inciting baseless allegations against the Prime Minister. She questioned the credibility of such individuals and emphasized that they were not acting in India's national interest.
Observers perceive Sitharaman's statements as a calculated pushback by the political establishment against Obama's comments. Although President Joe Biden did not publicly address human rights issues during PM Modi's visit, Sitharaman's response served as a political response to Obama, considering his status as a former US President and not an official spokesperson for the US government.
BJP's national vice-president Baijayant Jay Panda also questioned the sequence of events, highlighting President Biden's positive engagements with PM Modi, followed by Obama's untimely remarks comparing India's treatment of minorities to China's actions. Panda referred to Obama's track record in Islamic countries as "pretty gross."
Assam Chief Minister and BJP leader Himanta Biswa Sarma also joined the criticism, stating that there were many individuals in India similar to Hussain Obama, emphasizing the need to prioritize addressing them before considering engagements in Washington. Sarma's remarks came in response to a journalist's comment on Obama's statement about the Muslim minority in India.
The BJP's strong reaction stems from the perception that Obama's comments were made while PM Modi was a guest of the US government on a state visit
The BJP's response to Obama's comments reflects the party's determination to defend the Prime Minister and his government against perceived foreign interference in domestic affairs. As PM Modi returns from his successful visits to the US and Egypt, the party's leaders are making it clear that they will not shy away from countering critical remarks on India's internal matters, especially during crucial diplomatic engagements.