India Counters Dutch Concerns Over Press Freedom, Minority Rights

India Counters Dutch Concerns: On Sunday, India pushed back against comments reportedly made by Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten about press freedom and minority rights.

The Indian government said his remarks showed he did not fully understand India’s democratic and cultural background.

PM Modi Netherlands visit: This response came while Prime Minister Narendra Modi was visiting the Netherlands.

A Dutch journalist asked why there was no joint press conference and brought up concerns about media freedom and the rights of minorities, including Muslims and other smaller groups.

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While speaking to the media in The Hague, Sibi George, Secretary (West) at the Ministry of External Affairs, said criticism of India often comes from not knowing enough about the country’s social and democratic systems.

“We face these kinds of questions basically because of the lack of understanding of the person who asks the question,” George said.

George defended India’s democracy, calling the country lively and diverse, with a civilisation over 5,000 years old.

He noted that India is the world’s most populous country, with 1.4 billion people, and highlighted its cultural, linguistic, culinary, and religious diversity.

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George pointed out that Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism all began in India and still thrive there.

“There is no other country in the world where four religions have originated,” he said.

He also said that Jewish communities have lived in India for over 2,500 years without persecution, and that Christianity and Islam have prospered in India for centuries.

“Christianity came to India immediately after the resurrection of Jesus Christ and continued to flourish in India.

Furthermore, George also stated that Islam emerged during the period of the Prophet Muhammad and flourished in India.

Press Freedom in India Latest News: George Calls India a Vibrant Democracy

India Counters Dutch Concerns: George also mentioned India’s elections and peaceful transfer of power as proof of its strong democracy.

“Recently, we had elections. You need to know the level of participation. More than 90 per cent of the electorate voted. This is the beauty of India,” he said.

He added that the country made economic progress and reduced poverty through democratic methods, without giving up its principles.

“We did not go for violence to eliminate poverty. We went through the democratic process to eliminate poverty,” he said.

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He also said that India’s growing minority population shows coexistence and inclusion. “When we became independent, the minority population in India was 11 per cent.

Now it is more than 20 per cent. Name a country where the population of minorities has gone up?

“ You won't find it anywhere other than India,” George said. “The beauty of India. I encourage you to learn more about India so you can better appreciate what the country is and how it is progressing,” he added.

These comments followed reports that Dutch Prime Minister Rob Jetten had raised concerns about events in India before meeting with Prime Minister Modi.

Press Freedom in India Latest News: Dutch Minister Flags Minority Rights, Press Freedom Concerns in India

Dutch newspaper De Volkskrant, Jetten said the Dutch government was concerned “not just about press freedom” but also about “the rights of minorities, which are under severe pressure there.”

He added that these issues were “regularly raised” with the Indian government. Jetten also said the Netherlands values democracy, good governance, and a world order based on rules and justice.

Ending the child custody dispute that has come up in earlier diplomatic talks between the two countries.

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Jetten said these concerns often came up in talks with the Indian government.

He also mentioned that the EU-India free trade agreement could allow discussions beyond business, including personal cases like Insiya’s and broader topics such as human rights and support for democracy and the rule of law in India.

NRC reported that Jetten told reporters he had recently spoken with the mother of Insiya Hemani, a Dutch girl taken to India by her father in 2016, and that the conversation had a strong impact on him.

Deputy Prime Minister Dilan Yesilgoz said on Friday that the Netherlands “wants to do business with India, but that also means we need to find a solution for Insiya.”

After the talks, Jetten posted on X but did not mention press freedom or minorities. He said he and Modi talked about the closure of the Strait of Hormuz, energy prices, and the Insiya case.

NRC also reported that later, as the two leaders walked through the Catshuis garden for the cameras, Jetten pointed out the newborn goslings on the lawn.