WATCH – Nirmala Sitaraman invites ‘Western experts’ to see the ‘state of Muslims’ in India

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman on Monday defended the state of Muslims in India by clarifying that ‘Muslims would not be growing if their lives were made difficult in the country.’

Speaking at the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), Sitharaman underlined that India has the second largest Muslim population in the world and that population is only growing in number.

“If there is a perception or in reality, their lives are difficult or made difficult with the support of the State, which is what is implied in most of these write-ups, will the Muslim population be growing than what it was in 1947 as opposed to Pakistan, which was formed at the same time?” Sitharaman said.

“Every minority has been dwindling in numbers or decimated in Pakistan. Even some of the Muslim sects have also been decimated there. Whereas in India, you would find ever strand of Muslim doing their business, their children being educated, given fellowships,” said Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitaraman on ‘negative Western perceptions’ of India.

She further suggested that one must come to India and have a look what’s happening in India, rather than listen to perceptions being built by people who have not even visited the ground and produce reports.