FROM clinching significant deals in energy, space, military hardware and futuristic technology sectors to making the United States finally lower its tech barrier to include India as an equal partner, Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi’s State visit to America has brought a bountiful of achievements for the country. The biggest factor highlighting the success of Mr. Modi’s visit to the US and his incredible bonhomie with the US President Mr. Joe Biden in the White House came during the press conference after the Indo-US joint statement when a deliberate attempt was made to divert the narrative towards a non-existent issue of discrimination of minorities in India. The way the Prime Minister dealt with the poor attempt at showing his Government in bad light was indeed the cherry on the cake. Mr. Modi brushed aside the question like a true-blue statesman as he reminded the sections inimical to India’s growth that democracy flows in the veins of India and discrimination of religious minorities in the country is just a figment of imagination peddled by some ignoramuses.

 

The Prime Minister’s reminder to the section of people raising bogey about religious discrimination was another snub to the anti-India forces whose only agenda is to work against the current NDA regime which has been working on elevating the status of India in the global order. If there was any proof needed about India’s growing geopolitical clout in the present times, then it came through the deals signed between India and the United States. The bouquet contains some big-ticket announcements including GE Aerospace pact with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited to jointly produce fighter engines for Indian Air Force’s Light Combat Aircraft -- Tejas, procurement of drones, a space mission and manufacturing chips in India. All the deals end the denial of critical technologies to India as Washington realises the critical role for New Delhi in the global order. Till a decade ago, India was on the fringes of the US foreign policy even as Washington kept weighing New Delhi’s capabilities. It was openly articulated by Mr. Modi during his last address to the US Congress in 2016 as he talked about overcoming “the hesitations of history” while calling for stronger economic and defence ties.

 

Seven years later, “the hesitations of history” have vanished as India stands with the US on its own terms. Unfortunately, the rise and growth of India’s stature is still a cause of consternation for a section of people that includes a few Opposition leaders, some blind-eyed political caucuses, biased media houses and a group of pseudo-liberals who revel in colouring the India Shining story with the paint of religious hatred. Mr. Modi’s surprise over the statements made about discrimination against religious minorities in India was a shared sentiment of the majority of the people back home. In a vibrant democracy like India, where every religion enjoys total freedom and minority communities are integral part of every success story, the question about discrimination clearly stemmed from half-baked knowledge, poor understanding of Indian culture, and a malicious agenda. It was a pathetic effort to divert the attention from the remarkable success of Mr. Modi’s State visit. No wonder it met a solid retort from the Prime Minister who highlighted in no uncertain terms that democracy is not only a concept in India but a living reality manifested in the Constitution of the country. The power of democratic values has kept India thriving in testing times. The growth story and the high place in the global order is the outcome of healthy democratic practices. It cannot be negated by some jaundice-visioned elements whose problem is with the prosperity of India.