Newsweek Interview: PM Modi Rejects Charges Of Discrimination Against Minorities

New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has hit out against allegations that the BJP-led Indian government discriminates against religious minorities in the country.

In an exclusive interview with Newsweek magazine, Modi said these are “usual tropes” propagated by those “who don’t bother to meet people outside their bubbles.”

Modi shared the link of the interview in a post on X.

Asserting that Muslims, Christians, Buddhists, Sikhs, Jains, and even micro-minorities like Parsis are “living happily and thriving in India,” Modi said that government initiatives are crafted to transcend barriers of community or geography, and ensure equitable distribution to all citizens.

“For the first time in our country, our government has come up with a unique saturation coverage approach when it comes to schemes and initiatives. They are not restricted for a group of people belonging to a particular community or a geography,” Modi told the American weekly.

These initiatives, ranging from housing, sanitation facilities, water access and cooking fuel to financial assistance and healthcare provisions, are meticulously designed to eliminate any possibility of discrimination, Modi stressed.

“They are meant to reach everyone, which means that they are designed in such a way that there cannot be any discrimination. Be it amenities like house, toilets, water connection or cooking fuel or be it collateral-free credit or health insurance, it is reaching every citizen irrespective of his community and religion,” the PM said.

During the course of 90-minute interview, carried by the magazine under the headline ‘Narendra Modi and the Unstoppable Rise of India’, the prime minister spoke on a wide range of topics including the border dispute with China and abrogation of Article 370.

The Indian PM highlighted the need to urgently address the “prolonged situation on our borders” so that the tension in bilateral interactions can be put behind.

“For India, the relationship with China is important and significant. It is my belief that we need to urgently address the prolonged situation on our borders so that the abnormality in our bilateral interactions can be put behind us,” Modi said.