CAA, NRC and Rights of Minorities in India among topics Trump to discuss with Modi

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CAA, NRC and Rights of Minorities in India among topics Trump to discuss with Modi

This is something that is important to the President and I'm sure it will come up, the official added

Saturday February 22, 2020 11:09 AM, Arul Louis, IANS

New York: The United States is concerned about the rights of minorities in India and President Donald Trump will raise these issues, especially religious freedom, when he meets with Prime Minister Narendra Modi, according to a senior administration official.

Asked about the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) at a briefing on Friday on Trump's India visit next week, the official said, "He will raise these issues, particularly the religious freedom issue, which is extremely important to this administration."

The reporter, who posed the question erroneously claimed that the CAA is the Indian "government's attempt to keep Muslim migrants from being able to gain Indian citizenship," which it does not do but only provides expedited citizenship for non-Muslim refugees fleeing religious persecution in officially Islamic Pakistan and Afghanistan and Muslim majority Bangladesh.

The official said, "We are concerned with some of the issues that you have raised. And I think that the President will talk about these issues in his meetings with Prime Minister Modi and note that the world is looking to India to continue to uphold its democratic traditions, respect for religious minorities."

"This is something that is important to the President and I'm sure it will come up," the official added.

Great respect for India's democratic traditions

At the same time, the official spoke of the shared commitment of the US and India to "to upholding our universal values, the rule of law" and said, "We have great respect for India's democratic traditions and institutions, and we will continue to encourage India to uphold those traditions."

The official added, "Of course, it's in the Indian constitution -- religious freedom, respect for religious minorities, and equal treatment of all religions in India."

In the US, Trump has signed the budget bill passed by Congress which has a provision similar to the CAA: The Specter Amendment excludes Muslims from the special preference given to religious refugees from Iran.

The Trump administration has advocated strong action to exclude illegal in the US.

India, Pak bilateral dialogue

US President Donald Trump will also encourage India and Pakistan to hold bilateral dialogue, but for that Islamabad will have to crackdown on terrorism, according to a senior administration official.

"I think what you'll hear from the President is very much encouraging a reduction in tensions between India and Pakistan, encouraging the two countries to engage in bilateral dialogue with each other to resolve their differences," the official said on Friday during a briefing to a a question on whether Trump will again offer to mediate on Kashmir.

The official specifically mentioning "bilateral dialogue" holds significance in the context of Trump's previous attempts to embed himself in the Kashmir dispute, which have roiled India.

The official said: "The President will urge both countries to seek to maintain peace and stability along the line of control and refrain from actions or statements that could increase tensions in the region."

(Arul Louis can be contacted at arul.l@ians.in)

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