White House Says Joe Biden Will Not “Lecture” PM Modi On Democracy
Update: 2023-06-22 10:01 IST
According to US national security adviser Jake Sullivan on Wednesday, President Joe Biden won't "lecture" Prime Minister Narendra Modi about democracy. President Biden is anticipated to express American worries about India's recent democratic record, as per Sullivan, but in a way that avoids the US trying to "lecture or assert that we don't have challenges ourselves."
Sullivan responded to the question of whether Biden will bring up the subject with Modi, who is in the country on a state visit, by saying that they does such in a way where they don't seek to lecture or assert that we don't have challenges ourselves.
Sullivan made his remarks following a letter to Biden from 75 Democratic senators and congressmen explaining their concerns, particularly India's recent democratic record.
The lawmakers urged Biden to bring up specific concerns regarding "the narrowing of political space, the rise of religious intolerance, the targeting of civil society organisations and journalists, and the growing restrictions on press freedoms and internet access" in India. They cited reports from the US State Department and civil society organisations in support of their request.
They noted that friends should speak in an honest and forthright way. “That is why we respectfully request that — in addition to the many areas of shared interests between India and the U.S. — you also raise directly with Prime Minister Modi areas of concern," reported Hindustan Times.
India has continuously denied criticism of its record on human rights, blaming it on "votebank politics" and false information based on input from individuals with questionable connections when it came to the US.