“They Won’t Say Christian Nationalists…”: EAM Jaishankar's Sharp Response To Foreign Media On 'Hindu Nationalist' Tag

External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Saturday criticised foreign newspapers for using adjectives like “Hindu Nationalist” for the Indian government, while conveniently refraining from using similar words for the European or American governments.

“If you read foreign newspapers, they use words like Hindu nationalist government. In America or Europe, they won’t say Christian Nationalist…these adjectives are reserved for us. They don’t understand that this country is ready to do more with the world and not less with the world,” Jaishankar was quoted as saying by ANI.

Speaking at the unveiling of Bharat Marg – the Marathi translation of his book, The India Way: Strategies for an Uncertain World, in Pune, Jaishankar also said that he is proud of representing a more nationalistic government and doesn’t think there is anything to be apologetic.

 "If you look at the last nine years, there is no doubt that government and politics of the day are more nationalistic...I don't think there is anything to be apologetic about it. The same nationalist people have helped countries abroad and moved forward in disaster situations in other countries," he said.

His comments come amidst the recent row over a BBC documentary on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, The Modi Question.

"So next time you read it [foreign newspapers], ask yourself, how wrongly are they reading me that they actually do not understand that this country is getting ready to do more with the world, not less with the world," he advised.

Notably, several countries in Europe and America have systems where religion has deep ties with the state, including the United Kingdom. There are also parties like the Christian Democratic Union and Christian Social Union in Germany. Notably, these are mainstream political parties, with differences over economic policy, but support “traditional Christian values” across the spectrum.