India strongly pushed back against questions on “press freedom” and “minority rights” during Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the Netherlands, with senior diplomat Sibi George delivering a sharp and detailed response defending India’s democracy, diversity and constitutional values.
The remarks came after a Dutch journalist questioned why both prime ministers were not jointly available for media questions and raised concerns regarding press freedom and the condition of minorities, including Muslims, in India.
Responding firmly, Sibi George said such questions arise from a “lack of understanding” about India and its civilisational history.
‘India Is A Vibrant And Noisy Democracy’
Highlighting India’s diversity, the diplomat said the country is home to people of multiple religions, languages and cultures and remains one of the world’s oldest living civilisations.
“India is a country of 1.4 billion people… a civilization more than 5,000 years old,” he said, while pointing out that religions like Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism originated in India and continue to flourish.
He also stressed that communities including Jews, Christians and Muslims have lived and thrived in India for centuries.
Calling India a “vibrant democracy”, George pointed to the country’s massive electoral participation, widespread access to smartphones and freedom of expression.
“We are proud to be a noisy democracy,” he said, adding that over 900 million smartphone users in India actively exercise freedom of speech and expression.
‘Minorities Thrive In India’
The diplomat also strongly rejected allegations surrounding minority rights.
He stated that India’s minority population has grown significantly since Independence, arguing that this itself reflects the country’s inclusive and democratic character.
“When we became independent, the minority population was 11 percent. Today it is more than 20 percent,” he said.
George further highlighted India’s linguistic diversity, noting that 22 official languages are recognised and represented even on Indian currency notes.
Video Goes Viral Online
A short clip of the exchange has now gone viral on social media, with many users praising the diplomat for his calm yet assertive response to the questions raised by the foreign journalist.
The remarks come at a time when India has repeatedly pushed back against international criticism on internal matters, especially concerning democracy, press freedom and minority rights.
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