US engages with India on \u2018human rights concerns, religious freedom – we encourage India to promote rights, says Price
\nWASHINGTON
\nThe United States has condemned the \u2018offensive comments\u2019 made by India\u2019s ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) against Prophet Mohammad (PBUH).
\nDuring a press briefing in Washington DC, a reporter from a private Pakistani news channel asked what the stance of the US government was with regard to \u201chate crimes committed by the Indian government against Muslims and other minorities\u201d.
\nIn response, the US State Department spokesperson Ned Price stated that the Biden administration had condemned the remarks and were \u201cglad to see that the party [BJP] publicly condemned those comments\u201d.
\nPrice added that the United States frequently engages with the Indian government at senior levels on \u201chuman rights concerns, including freedom of religion or belief, and we encourage India to promote respect for human rights\u201d.
\nHowever, the spokesperson also seemingly defended India\u2019s actions by stating that the \u201cIndian people and the American people believe in the same values: human dignity, human respect, equality of opportunity, and the freedom of religion or belief\u201d.
\nUS-Pakistan relations
\nThe reporter also questioned Washington\u2019s position on partnership with the new Pakistani government, in lieu of the \u201cconspiracy theories\u201d being \u201csold\u201d by former prime minister Imran Khan.
\nIn response, Price stated that the US leadership had on a couple of occasions met with representatives of the incumbent government.
\n\u201cSecretary Blinken had an opportunity to sit down with his Pakistani counterpart [foreign minister Bilawal Bhutto] to meet him face-to-face in his position for the first time. It was a very good, constructive discussion regarding the full range of issues, including the issue of food security,\u201d Price added.
\nThe spokesperson also stated that the \u201caftereffects of Russia\u2019s invasion of Ukraine\u201d were also discussed, alluding to former premier Imran Khan\u2019s trip to Moscow on the eve of the invasion.
\nHowever, Price claimed that \u201cPakistan is a partner of ours\u201d and the US would look for ways to advance that partnership in a manner that serves their interest and mutual interests as well.
\nOn June 6, BJP\u2019s national spokeswoman Nupur Sharma and Delhi media operation head Naveen Jindal were reported by the media to also have been expelled from the party.
\nSharma\u2019s remarks had come during a televised debate, whereas Jindal had tweeted them out, in a Twitter post has now been deleted.
\nFollowing the backlash, Sharma posted on Twitter that she had said \u201csome things in response to comments made about a Hindu god but it was never an intention to hurt anyone\u2019s religious feelings\u201d.
\nThe comments made by party officials invited public condemnation from governments of various Muslim countries including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Egypt and Pakistan.
\nIn the aftermath of the comments, Muslims in India protested the government\u2019s xenophobic beliefs. In response, bulldozers rumbled into Muslim localities in India to tear down houses and impose collective punishment on the alleged rioters.
\nThe long arm of the heavy earthmovers, ruthlessly clawing its way into the intimate chambers of the homes of dissidents, is the latest symbol of the Hindutva India, while the long-celebrated democracy flounders under the concrete rubble.
\nBut Modi\u2019s rule, which has virtually reneged on all international rights conventions, has thus far interestingly managed to elude all radars that otherwise register an eat-piercing bleep over \u201cilliberal\u201d moves taken by regimes across the world.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
US engages with India on \u2018human rights concerns, religious freedom – we encourage India to promote rights, says Price WASHINGTON The United States has condemned the \u2018offensive comments\u2019 made by India\u2019s ruling Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) against Prophet Mohammad (PBUH). During a press briefing in Washington DC, a reporter from a private Pakistani news channel […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":266637,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[8217,7557,8622,444],"class_list":{"0":"post-266615","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-world","8":"tag-bjp","9":"tag-condemns","10":"tag-islamophobic-remarks","11":"tag-us"},"yoast_head":"\n