US President Joe Biden by his side, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said Thursday that “democracy is in our DNA”, and “there is absolutely no question of discrimination” regardless of “caste, creed, religion and gender”. He was responding to a journalist’s question about what steps his government is willing to take to improve the rights of minorities in India and to uphold free speech. At the joint press conference where the leaders took questions from one reporter from each side, Biden, on being asked about raising issues of human rights and democracy with the visiting Prime Minister, said, “Prime Minister and I had a good discussion about democratic values… and that is the best part of our relationship. We are straightforward with each other and we respect each other.” “And I believe that we believe in the dignity of every citizen and it is in America’s DNA and I believe, it’s in India’s DNA.” A journalist from US newspaper Wall Street Journal, turning to Modi, said India has long prided itself as the world’s largest democracy, but there are many human rights groups who say that his government has discriminated against religious minorities and silenced its critics. “As you stand here in the East Room of the White House, where so many world leaders have made commitments to protecting democracy, what steps are you and your government willing to take to improve the rights of Muslims and other minorities in your country and to uphold free speech?” The Prime Minister responded, “ Indeed, India is a democracy and as President Biden also mentioned, India and America, (for) both countries, democracy is in our DNA. Democracy is our spirit. Democracy runs in our veins. We live democracy. And our ancestors have actually put words to this concept, and that is in the form of our Constitution. Our government has taken the basic principles of democracy. And on that basis, our Constitution is made and the entire country runs on that…We have always proved that democracy can deliver. And when I say deliver, this is regardless of caste, creed, religion, gender, there’s absolutely no space for discrimination.” “And when you talk of democracy, if there are no human values, and there is no humanity, there are no human rights, then it’s not a democracy. And that is why when you say democracy, and you accept democracy, and when we live democracy, then there is absolutely no question of discrimination. And that is why India believes in moving ahead with Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas… these are our foundation principles, which are the basis of how we operate, how we live our lives in India.” “The benefits that are provided by the government are accessible to all whoever deserves, those benefits are available to everybody. And that is why in India’s democratic values, there is absolutely no discrimination, neither on the basis of caste, creed, or age or any kind of geographic location,” Modi said. Biden, when asked about his message to those including some members of Democratic party who say that his administration is overlooking the targeting of religious minorities and crackdown on dissent in Prime Minister Modi’s country, said, “Prime Minister and I had a good discussion about democratic values. And that is the best part of our relationship. We are straightforward with each other and we respect each other.” “One of the fundamental reasons that I believe the US-China relationship is not in the same space with the US-India relationship is that there is an overwhelming respect for each other because we are both democracies. And it has a common democratic character, and our people, our diversity, culture, our open, tolerant, robust debate. And I believe that we believe in the dignity of every citizen and it is in America's DNA and I believe in India’s DNA. And the whole world has a stake in our success, both of us in maintaining our democracies … makes us affiliate partners and enables us to expand democratic institutions across … the world. And I believe this and I still believe this,” he said.
