New Delhi: Former US president Barack Obama said India needs to cherish and nurture its Muslim population that is integrated and considers itself Indian. He said this on Friday during Hindustan Times Leadership Summit.
As reported by ‘The Hindu’, Mr. Obama recalled that he had emphasised the need for religious tolerance and the right to practice one’s own faith during closed door talks with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his last trip to India in 2015.
Regarding Muslim population in India, Mr. Obama said India is fortunate enough to have “enormous Muslim population,” which is successful, integrated and thinks of itself as Indian, which is not always the case in some other countries. Hence he said they need to be cherished and nurtured, cultivated.
He also declared Dr. Manmohan Singh’s services towards reformation in Indian economy as remarkable. He said he is a great admirer of Manmohan Singh who took various revolutionary steps during his rule, like throwing open country’s economy for the world.