US Spokesperson Mathew Miller refused to comment on a question asked by a journalist on Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma's remarks on Former US President Barack Obama. In a video surfaced on the internet, a journalist can be seen asking Miller to give a word on the remarks by an Indian CM who is also an ally of PM Modi. Miller, however, refused to comment on the question instantly and moved forward for the next question.
What did Sarma Say on Barack Obama?
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma on June 23 gave a curt reply to a journalist who cited Barack Obama's 'protecting Muslim minority in a majority Hindu India' comment asking if Assam police was on its way to Washington to arrest the former US President. The firebrand Chief Minister replied to this stating that there were plenty of 'Hussain Obama' in India and that the state prioritises taking care of them before considering going to Washington.
Rohini Singh from The Wire group had tweeted, "Has an FIR been filed in Guwahati yet against Obama for hurting sentiment? Is Assam police on it’s way to Washington to get Obama offloaded from some flight and arrest him?"
In a reply to the tweet Sarma wrote, "There are many Hussain Obama in India itself. We should prioritize taking care of them before considering going to Washington. The Assam police will act according to our own priorities."
Obama on PM Modi US visit
Former US President Barack Obama on Thursday made a reference to the rights of ethnic minorities in India during a media interview and said if these are not protected, there is a strong possibility of the country "at some point starts pulling apart".
Obama's made the remarks during an interview with CNN's Christiane Amanpour and said if President Joe Biden meets with PM Modi, "the protection of the Muslim minority in a majority Hindu India is something worth mentioning".
