Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman rejects negative western perception of India

Washington, April 11: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman gave a vigorous rebuttal to the negative Western 'perception' of India at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE). 

Responding to PIIE President Adam S Posen's question on perceptions affecting investment in India or capital flows, Sitharaman invited investors to come and have a look at what's happening in India rather than listening to the perception being built by people who have not visited the country.

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"I would think the answer for that lies with those investors who are coming to India, and they've been coming. And as somebody who's interested in receiving investments, I would only say, come have a look at what's happening in India, rather than listen to perceptions being built by people who have not even visited on the ground and who produce reports," said Sitharaman.

Sitharaman then contrasted the situation of minorities in India with that of Pakistan. She said that India has the second-largest Muslim population in the world, and that population is only growing in numbers. In Pakistan, on the other hand, minorities are severely charged with minor allegations, leading to punishments such as the death penalty, and blasphemy laws are used to fulfill a personal vendetta.

The Finance Minister then went on to say that Muslims in India are doing better, citing that there are fellowships being given by the government for Muslim students, and that there is no evidence of the population dwindling or deaths occurring disproportionately in any one particular community.

Finally, Sitharaman urged the World Trade Organisation to be more progressive and to give space to voices of the countries which have something different to say and not just hear but also somewhat heed.