Notions Of Minorities Not Valid In India: Govt Delegation At U.S. Summit

NEW DELHI: The usual notions of minorities and their alienation are not valid in the Indian context, the Narendra Modi government has told a global meet in the U.S., while citing the "pro-active" steps taken by the Centre and states to strengthen bonds between communities.

 The Indian delegation highlighted the success story of recently held elections in "Muslim majority" Jammu and Kashmir in which 65 Percent electorates cast their votes.

During his recent visit to India, U.S. President Barack Obama did raise the issue of religious tolerance in a speech from Siri Fort, and then reiterated it at a later event in Washington DC when he remarked “acts of intolerance” in India in recent years “would have shocked Gandhiji”.

 Addressing a White House summit on 'Counter Violent Extremism' -- held in Washington, the delegation said the government was taking proactive measures to ensure socio-economic and political integration of different communities, including steps to ensure the rights of the 180-million-strong Muslim population.

"Going by the usual definition of minority, their population is over 260 million i.e. over 21 Percentof India's population. There are over 180 million Muslims in India," RN Ravi, chairman of a joint intelligence committee and leader of the Indian team, said at the seminar attended by representatives of 60 countries.

Ravi said India's core strength is its liberal plural secular democracy and it ensures socio-economic and political integration of communities comprising the Indian demographic mosaic with Indian mainstream.

 "The government of India and the state governments pro-actively take several affirmative actions that strengthen bonds between the communities," he told the meet.

"Education being the most critical to empowerment, India lays special emphasis on it. Nearly half the annual budget of ministry of minority affairs is dedicated for empowerment of smaller communities through education.
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