The Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman said Muslims living in India are doing way better than those living in Pakistan. She said this while responding to the negative Western ‘perception’ of India. Sitharaman was speaking at an event organised at Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE).
She reached Washington on April 9, to attend the spring meetings of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank and chair the second G20 finance ministers and central bank governors meeting under the Indian presidency.
Responding to a question on perceptions affecting investment in India or capital flows, Sitharaman said, “I would think the answer for that lies with those investors who are coming to India, and they have been coming. And as somebody who is interested in receiving investments, I would only say, come to have a look at what’s happening in India, rather than listen to perceptions being built by people who have not even visited on the ground and who produce reports.”
The PIIE president Adam S Posen asked about there being widespread reporting in the Western media about MPs in the opposition party losing status, and about Muslim minorities in India being subjected to violence, the finance minister replied, “India has the second-largest Muslim population in the world, and that population is only growing in numbers. If there is a perception, or if there’s in reality, their lives are difficult or made difficult with the support of the state, which is what is implied in most of these write-ups, I would ask, will this happen in India in the sense, will the Muslim population be growing than what it was in 1947?”
“Violence prevails against Muhajirs, Shia and every other group you can name which is not accepted by the mainstream. I don’t know, Sunnis probably. Whereas in India you would find every strand of Muslims doing their business, their children getting educated. Fellowships are being given by the government,” news agency ANI quoted her as saying.
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Questioning the status of minorities in Pakistan who face discrimination and violence she said, despite declaring itself an Islamic country that promised to protect minorities, every minority group in Pakistan has dwindled in number and even some Muslim sects have been decimated.
“As opposed to, let us say, I take the name of the country and therefore the contrast can be sharper. As opposed to Pakistan, which was formed at the same time India was divided into two. Pakistan declared itself an Islamic country but however said minorities will be protected. Every minority has been dwindling in its number…decimated in Pakistan. Even some of the Muslim sects have also been decimated,” said Sitharaman.
“I would love the WTO to be more progressive, a lot more listening to all countries, and more fair. It has to give space to voices of the countries which have something different to say and not just hear but also somewhat heed,” she added.
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