Sibi George stressed India’s civilisational depth and pluralistic identity
India on Saturday strongly rejected reported remarks attributed to Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten regarding media freedom and minority rights in the country, asserting that India remains a “vibrant democracy” rooted in pluralism, diversity and constitutional freedoms.
The response came during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands, after questions were raised by sections of the Dutch media over alleged concerns related to press freedom and the treatment of minorities in India.
MEA says criticism stems from “lack of understanding”
Responding to the questions, Ministry of External Affairs Secretary (West) Sibi George said such concerns arise from a poor understanding of India’s civilisation, democratic framework and social fabric.
“We face these kinds of questions basically because of the lack of understanding of the person who asks the question,” George said.
He stressed that India’s identity is deeply rooted in a civilisation that is more than 5,000 years old and defined by extraordinary diversity.
“India is a country of 1.4 billion people, the largest populated country in the world. A country of civilization of more than 5000 years old. It’s a diverse country. [There’s]…diversity in terms of culture, diversity in terms of languages, diversity in terms of food, diversity in terms of religion…There is no other country in the world which have four religions have originated. Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism. These religions originated in India and continue to flourish in India,” he said.
India highlights record of religious coexistence
George pointed to India’s long history of religious coexistence and acceptance, noting that communities from across the world had flourished peacefully in the country for centuries.
“Jewish religion was in India for more than 2500 years. Continuously coexisted. India is perhaps only one of those very few countries where the Jewish population never faced a persecution…Christianity came to India immediately after the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Continued to flourish in India… Islam came to India during the time of Prophet Muhammad himself and flourished in India,” he added.
“This is the beauty of India”
The exchange reportedly took place after a Dutch journalist questioned the absence of a joint press conference during PM Modi’s visit and raised concerns regarding media freedom and the rights of minorities, including Muslims.
George responded by highlighting India’s democratic credentials and massive electoral participation.
“Recently, we had elections. You know, you need to know what the level of participation was. More than 90% of the electorate voted. This is the beauty of India,” he said.
The MEA official also said India achieved economic and social progress without abandoning democratic values.
“We did not go for violence to eliminate poverty. We went through the democratic process to eliminate poverty.”
“We are one-sixth of the total population of the world, but not one-sixth of the problems of the world. This is the beauty of India, which makes us proud. So, every minority thrives,” he said.
India rebuts minority rights concerns
George further argued that minority communities in India have grown significantly since Independence, which he said reflects the country’s inclusive social structure.
“When we became independent, the minority population in India was 11 per cent. Now it is more than 20 per cent. Name a country where the population of minorities has gone up? You won’t find it (anywhere) other than India,” he said.
“This is the beauty of India. So, I would request you to learn more about India so that you will have more appreciation of what India is, and how it is progressing,” he added.
What the Dutch PM reportedly said
It remains unclear whether Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten directly made the remarks in question. However, according to Dutch daily De Volkskrant, Jetten had reportedly spoken about concerns related to press freedom and minority rights in India ahead of his meeting with PM Modi.
According to the report, Jetten said, “the Dutch government, too, has concerns regarding developments in India…It is not just about press freedom…but also about the rights of minorities, which are under severe pressure there.”
The Dutch leader reportedly said such concerns were “regularly raised” with the Indian government.
However, in a separate social media post, Jetten emphasised the importance of democratic values shared by both nations.
“Both India and the Netherlands attach great importance to democracy, good governance and a world order based on rules and justice,” he said.
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