PM Modi believes in unity of India, its potential : Barack Obama

PM Modi believes in unity of India, its potential : Barack Obama

Narendra Modi has a vision for India, former US President Barack Obama Friday said he was of the opinion that Modi “believes in unity of India”.

Obama also met Modi later. This was the first meeting between the two leaders after Obama left the White House in January.

“I like him (Modi). I think he has a vision for the country… I was also great friends with Dr Manmohan Singh. He laid the foundation of the modern Indian economy. The unifying theme in both these leaders during my tenure was the focus on India-US relations,” he said while speaking at a summit organised by a media house.

Saying that politicians often mirror society and the people of India can strengthen the hands of politicians by speaking out against divisive forces, the former US president said he had raised the issue of religious freedoms in a private conversation with Modi.

He, however, refused to share Modi’s response to him, only saying, “I think his impulses are to recognise the importance of Indian unity. I know that he firmly believes in the need for that in order to advance to the great nation status that India possesses and will continue to amplify in the years to come.”

He also underlined the need for India to cherish and nurture its Muslim population, which, he said “is integrated and considers itself Indian”.

“That is unfortunately not always the case in some other countries. And that is something that needs to be cherished and nurtured, cultivated. It’s important to continue reinforcing it,” he asserted.

Asking the citizens to speak out against divisive forces, Obama said in democracies like India and the US, the “office of citizen” was the “most important office”.