New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday slammed foreign newspapers for using adjectives like “Hindu nationalist” for the Indian government. The minister said that foreign newspapers use words like Hindu nationalist government, but they won’t say Christian nationalist for America or Europe.
“If you read foreign newspapers, they use words like Hindu Nationalist Government. In America or Europe, they won’t say Christian Nationalist… these adjectives are reserved for us. They don’t understand that this country is ready to do more with the world and not less with the world,” Jaishankar said.
The minister, however, said that he is proud of it and doesn’t think there is anything to be apologetic about.
“If you look at the last 9 years, there is no doubt that government and politics of the day are more nationalistic…I don’t think there is anything to be apologetic about it. The same nationalist people have helped countries abroad and moved forward in disaster situations in other countries,” he said.
He added, “So if you read next time in a foreign newspaper because they always, foreign newspapers, they like using words like Hindu nationalist comment, okay?”
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“So next time you read it, ask yourself, how wrongly are they reading me that they actually do not understand that this country is getting ready to do more with the world, not less with the world,” Jaishankar advised, quoted ANI.
The EAM also emphasised on India’s G20 Presidency saying that everyone in the country is connected with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during India’s G20 Presidency.
“We want to show the world this G20 will have 200 meetings. Through these 200 meetings, we want to show the world, please, world, come to see India. See the changes in India, see how much enthusiasm and positive sentiment there is for the world in India,” he said.
The minister made the remarks during his book launch. He was in Pune for the release of his English book “The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World,” which has been translated into Marathi as ‘Bharat Marg’.
The Marathi version of Jaishankar’s book was released by Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra, Devendra Fadnavis.