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Although the administration of Joe Biden holds Barack Obama in the highest regard, a senior administration official has stated that there was no coordination with the White House over his remarks on India during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit.
However, the senior administration official stated in an exclusive interview with HT that Biden brought up “every kind of issue” with Modi, adding that Modi dealt with Biden in a respectful and dignified manner. In response to an online backlash in India against a Wall Street Journal reporter who questioned Modi, he continued that the administration believes in a free and democratic press, doesn’t support any kind of online harassment, and would like to focus on the overwhelming majority of the commentary surrounding the visit, which was positive.
Obama’s Remarks on PM Narendra Modi:
On June 22, as Biden greeted Modi on the south lawn of the White House and held bilateral discussions with him, the former President had stated in an interview with CNN that Biden felt the protection of a Muslim minority in a majority Hindu country was essential to bring up with Modi.Â
Obama had said that he would use the threat of India “pulling apart” as part of his argument if he spoke with Modi about the need to defend the rights of “ethnic minorities.” Obama had stated that these “large internal conflicts” would be against the interests of both “Muslim India” and “Hindu India.”
India experienced a domestic political backlash as a result of Obama’s remarks. Nirmala Sitharaman, the finance minister, and Raksha Mantri Rajnath Singh claimed that under the rule of the former US President, the US had bombed six countries with a majority of Muslims. The chief minister of Assam, Himanta Biswa Sarma, stated in a tweet that there were numerous “Hussain Obamas in India itself” and that the Assam Police will follow its priorities.
The Reaction of the White House to Obama’s Comment:
The official said they had the utmost respect for President Obama when asked if there was any truth to the claims of a “good cop-bad cop” play here, with Obama conveying a strong message and Biden courting India. But there was no coordination with what he stated because he is a private individual.
While the person said he wouldn’t describe the content of Biden and Modi’s private conversations, he could state that “every issue, every kind of issue was raised.”
But President Biden’s approach is to carry it through with tremendous dignity, to show respect to all parties involved, and to act cooperatively. I believe that is what he did with Prime Minister Modi since each nation had some private issues they wished to discuss. Therefore, it wasn’t just the President concerning the problems with PM Modi directly.
The depth of their friendship allowed them to discuss matters in a courteous manner and in such a way that I’m convinced that the other listened to it and listened with the spirit of respect, the official said. PM Modi also had a few topics that he wanted to bring up.
The official responded that they had made it very clear that they feel free and open press is crucial. When asked about the issue surrounding WSJ writer Sabrina Siddiqui’s query to Modi. Sincerely they oppose all forms of internet harassment. Indeed, it has deeply worried them.
The official did, however, emphasise that their attention had been on the summit’s very good reception. The overwhelming majority of the reaction has been supportive, encouraging, and has essentially praised what the officials believe to be an impressive set of accomplishments on the parts of President Biden and Prime Minister Modi. And, they believe that is appropriate because both leaders deserve to receive the praise.
