Washington: The White House has condemned as “totally unacceptable” the harassment of a US journalist on social media for asking Prime Minister Narendra Modi a query at his joint press convention right here with President Joe Biden. Last week, The Wall Street Journal reporter Sabrina Siddiqui requested Prime Minister Modi concerning the rights of minorities in India and what steps his authorities was keen to take to enhance them and in addition uphold free speech.
A day after the joint press convention, the reporter confronted on-line abuse for questioning the prime minister, with some alleging that her query was “motivated” and calling her a “Pakistani Islamist”.
“We’re aware of the reports of that harassment. It’s unacceptable. And we absolutely condemn any harassment of journalists anywhere under any circumstances. That’s completely unacceptable. And it’s antithetical to the very principles of democracy that were on display last week during the state visit,” National Security Council Coordinator for Strategic Communications John Kirby instructed reporters on Monday in response to a query.
In response to Siddiqui’s query, Prime Minister Modi had strongly defended India’s document on democracy and his authorities’s efficiency and human rights, saying that the fundamental basis stone of his authorities has been ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas and Sabka Prayas’, which implies collectively for everybody’s progress, with everybody’s belief.
“India is a democracy. And as President Biden said democracy is in the DNA of both India and America. Democracy is in our spirit. Democracy flows in our veins. We live democracy. Our forefathers moulded it in words, which we call the Constitution,” he stated.
“Our government runs on the fundamental principles of this Constitution. We have proved that democracy can deliver. When I say deliver it means there is no place for discrimination on the grounds of caste, creed, gender, religion,” PM Modi stated.
White House Press Secretary Karine Jean-Pierre stated, “We’re certainly here, at the White House, under this administration, committed to the freedom of the press, which is why we had the press conference last week.” “We certainly condemn any efforts of intimidation or harassment of a journalist or any journalist that is just trying to do their job. And so, I just want to be very clear about that,” she stated.
In response to a query on whether or not Prime Minister Modi and President Biden had discussions on points similar to press freedom and human rights, Jean-Pierre stated President Biden will “never shy away” from having these conversations with a world chief or a head of state on the subject of human rights.
“He has done that throughout the past two years and through his career as a vice president and certainly as a senator. I’m not going to get into private conversations, but I think we have made ourselves very clear here on our view. And I’ll just leave it there,” she stated. Jean-Pierre stated the US was dedicated to the liberty of the press, which is why the joint press convention was held.
“We thought it was important for you all to hear from both, not just from the President, but also from the Prime Minister, and for journalists to be able to ask a question,” she stated. Meanwhile, the South Asian Journalists Association (SAJA) expressed help for Siddiqui within the wake of the net abuse towards her.
“We want to express our continued support of our colleague @SabrinaSiddiqui who, like many South Asian and female journalists, is experiencing harassment for simply doing her job. Press freedom is the hallmark of any democracy and PM Modi leads the world’s largest democracy,” SAJA stated in a tweet.
A day after the joint press convention, Siddiqui took to Twitter and wrote, “Since some have chosen to make a point of my personal background, it feels only right to provide a fuller picture. Sometimes identities are more complex than they seem.” Accompanying her tweet had been two pictures wherein she is sporting a blue jersey of the Indian cricket crew, and an April 2011 image along with her father when India received the 2011 cricket World Cup.
