New Delhi: The White House has strongly refuted any motive behind US President Barack Obama's religious tolerance remarks made during his trip to India a week ago.
The White House has denied that the President's remark was aimed at the Hindutva elements and termed it ‘misconstrued'.
“I think that's been somewhat misconstrued. I would not insinuate that there is any baggage there at all,” Phil Reiner, Senior Director for South Asian Affairs at the National Security Council at the White House, who accompanied the President on his visit to India, said.
Making a strong pitch for religious tolerance, Obama had on January 27 said every person has the right to practice his faith without any persecution and that India will succeed so long it is not ‘splintered' on religious lines.
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“Every person has the right to practice his faith without any persecution, fear or discrimination. India will succeed so long it is not splintered on religious lines,” Obama said.
“Your (Constitution) Article 25 says all people are equally entitled to the freedom of consience and have right to freely profess and practise and propagate religion. In both our countries, in all countries upholding with freedom of religion is the utmost responsibility of the government but also the responsibility of every person,” Obama added.
The President's comments came against the backdrop of the controversy over religious conversions and ‘ghar-wapsi” programmes by right wing Hindu outfits.
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Soon after this remark, opposition parties pounced on it.
While Congress asked Modi to learn from his new friend Obama's advice, RJD leader Lalu Yadav thanked the President for recognising the true colours of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
