Source : Business Today
Finance Minister Sitharaman hits back at Former US President Barack Obama: ‘Bombed six Muslim countries with more than 26,000 bombs’
Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday slammed former US President Barack Obama for his comments on the protection of Muslims in India. She said she was shocked to hear the comments from the man under whose rule six Muslim-majority countries were bombed with more than 26,000 bombs.
Barack Obama, who served as the president from 2009 to 2017, in an interview with CNN recently said that India should protect its minorities otherwise the country may at some point “pull apart”. The comments came at a time US President Joe Biden, who was Obama’s deputy, was hosting Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
Today, Sitharaman said Prime Minister Modi himself, in the press conference in the US, has said how his government works on the ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas’ principle and doesn’t discriminate against any community. She then referred to the honours given by foreign countries to Prime Minister Modi. She said out of the 13 awards that he has been given, six have been given by countries where Muslims are in the majority.
Sitharaman then lashed out at Obama for his interview with CNN and said, “I was shocked. When PM Modi was campaigning in the US – and by campaigning I mean speaking about India – a former President of the US is speaking about Indian Muslims.”
“And I am saying this with restraint because it involves another country. We want friendship with the US but there too we get remarks about religious freedom in India. A former President – under whose rule six Muslim-majority countries were bombed with more than 26,000 bombs – how will people trust his allegations?” she said.
#WATCH | FM Nirmala Sitharaman says, “…It was surprising that when PM was visiting the US, a former US President (Barack Obama) was making a statement on Indian Muslims…I am speaking with caution, we want a good friendship with the US. But comments come from there on India’s… pic.twitter.com/6uyC3cikBi
— ANI (@ANI) June 25, 2023
In September 2014, CNN published a list of countries that were bombed by the US under the Obama administration. Among the countries are Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Yemen, Somalia, Iraq, and Syria.
In 2017, Kenneth Roth, an American attorney and writer, wrote that a careful review of Obama’s major human rights decisions showed a mixed record. “In fact, he has often treated human rights as a secondary interest — nice to support when the cost was not too high, but nothing like a top priority he championed.”
Today, the finance minister targeted the opposition, saying it was running a campaign because it can’t counter the BJP or PM Modi electorally. “And the Congress has had a big role in this in the past few elections.” “I find this deliberate attempt to vitiate the atmosphere in this country because they think they cannot win against the developmental policies of Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” the minister said.
Sitharaman hailed PM Modi’s visit to the US, and called it “historic”. She said it was a visit where both India and the US redefined their partnership and established steps “which would result in greater realisation of our national goals”.
Today, PM Modi was conferred with the ‘Order of the Nile’, which is Egypt’s highest honour. “Honourable PM, to date, has received 13 State Honours from countries across the world. It is a matter of pride for us,” Sitharaman said. Finance Minister Sitharaman hits back at Former US President Barack Obama Finance Minister Sitharaman hits back at Former US President Barack Obama Finance Minister Sitharaman hits back at Former US President Barack Obama Finance Minister Sitharaman hits back at Former US President Barack Obama Finance Minister Sitharaman hits back at Former US President Barack Obama Finance Minister Sitharaman hits back at Former US President Barack Obama Finance Minister Sitharaman hits back at Former US President Barack Obama IgMp
