External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar staunchly rejected the claims about the ill-treatment of minority communities in the country and stressed that "much of the griping is political". In a veiled attack on the Opposition parties, especially, Congress, Jaishankar underscored that "there is some section of people who outcry about the discrimination among minority community" but claimed all political statements are linked to "vote bank politics".
It is worth mentioning Western media criticise the current regime and often it alleged of critical against the minority community, especially Muslims.
Meanwhile, Jaishankar, during an interactive session at Hudson Institute on ‘India’s role in a New Pacific Order’, stressed that the Indian government, irrespective of religion, caste and creed, has been delivering social welfare schemes. He staunchly underscored that in every society in the world, at some point, there's been some discrimination on some basis but asserted India does not disseminate social schemes on the basis of the above criteria.
"I defy you to show me discrimination. In fact, the more digital we have become, the more faceless the governance has become. Actually, it's become fairer," he added.
West should embrace the Indian govt has to look after every aspect of life
He said that the world should embrace the fact that the structure of the Indian government has to look after every aspect of public life-- from food, education, healthcare and finance.
"What is the test really of fair and good governance or of the balance of a society? It would be whether in terms of the amenities, the benefits, the access, the rights, you discriminate or not and in every society in the world, at some point, there's been some discrimination on some basis.
"If you look at India today, it's a society today where there is a tremendous change taking place, the biggest change happening today in India is the creation of a social welfare system in a society which has less than $3,000 per capita income. Nobody has done that in the world before," he said.
"Now, when you look at the benefits of that, you look at housing, you look at health, you look at food, you look at finance, you look at educational access, health access. I defy you to show me discrimination. In fact, the more digital we have become, the more faceless the governance has become. Actually, it's become fairer," added Jaishankar.
