New Delhi: Lambasting former US President Barack Obama for his 'Muslims in India' remark, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday said "Obama ji should not forget that India is the only country which considers all the people living in the world as family members".
Interacting with mediapersons at a national security conclave here, Singh said Obama should know that the people of India believe in the concept of 'vasudhaiva kutumbakam' and consider all people as members of one global family. "He (Obama) should also think about how many Muslim countries he has attacked (as US president)," Singh told reporters when asked to react to Obama's remarks.
His remarks come after Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman also hit back at Obama on Sunday, saying six Muslim-dominated countries were bombed by the US when Obama was its president.
Amid Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to the United States, Obama, in an interview with CNN on Thursday, said if India does not protect the rights of ethnic minorities, there is a strong possibility at some point that the country starts pulling apart. He had further urged US President Joe Biden to raise the issue of human rights during his meeting with PM Modi.
Singh said India has a secular character as people of different religions, including Hindus, Muslims, and Christians live together harmoniously. "I want to tell you with confidence that even Muslim countries would not have all the 72 sects of the community. It is only in India that you will find them all," he said.
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The remark by Obama questioning the integrity of the Indian government triggered a massive uproar in the BJP. Taking to Twitter, Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said, "There are many Hussain Obama in India itself. We should prioritize taking care of them before considering going to Washington. The Assam police will act according to our priorities".
Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on his first state visit to the United States from June 21-24, which was a historic one as it turned out to be a game changer in the India-US defense cooperation. The visit was also watched carefully by the global community, especially in the face of the changing geopolitical scenario and the growing assertiveness of China in the region.
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