Washington, April 11 (Hindustan). India’s Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said that the minorities in India are continuously progressing, but are being persecuted in Pakistan. Interacting on the forum of Washington-based American think tank Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), he also questioned the misuse of the blasphemy law in Pakistan.
When PIIE President Adam Posen asked questions about the issue raised in the Western media like minorities being victims of violence in India, Nirmala Sitharaman dismissed it. He said that India has the second largest Muslim population in the world and this population is still increasing in numbers. He raised the question whether it would be correct to say about India in this sense when the Muslim population is increasing as compared to 1947? On the other hand, the condition of minorities in Pakistan is getting worse and their number is decreasing day by day. Even the number of some Muslim sections has decreased in Pakistan.
He said, while in India Muslims of every class are doing their business, their children are getting education and they are being given fellowship. Minorities in Pakistan are accused of minor charges, for which punishment like death penalty is given. The blasphemy law in Pakistan is in most cases used to satisfy personal vendettas. Victims are immediately presumed guilty, even without conducting proper investigation and trial under a jury.
On perceptions affecting investments or capital inflows into India, he said the answer lies with the investors who are coming to India. He said that nowadays free trade agreements are happening fast. India has just signed an agreement with Australia. Earlier, India had also signed free trade agreements with UAE, Mauritius and ASEAN countries. At the same time, India is also increasing quota free and tariff free trade with less developed countries. Apart from this, talks are on between India and England regarding the Free Trade Agreement.
