Biden raised issues of “democratic governance” in his meeting with Modi, a White House official says – after the Indian government demolished slums to clear New Delhi for G20 conferences
- The government spent months cleaning up key areas for the summit event
- Efforts included the demolition of slums on government land
- Stray dogs were removed and businesses closed
President Joe Biden raised unspecified democracy issues during his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a White House official said, amid concerns about press freedom and democratic “backsliding.”
Deputy national security adviser Jon Finer told reporters traveling with the president that Biden raised the explosive issue in his first meeting with the Indian leader, who has been accused of rolling back democratic expressions and guardrails despite enjoying enormous popularity in his country have built.
The heads of state and government of the most important industrial nations gathered in New Delhi on Saturday. Almost 130,000 police and paramilitaries guarded the city. Normally congested streets are virtually empty, with shops and restaurants closed.
Ahead of the event, city authorities demolished slums on public land while attempting to pay off monkeys and stray dogs lining the streets.
The White House said President Biden discussed issues of “democratic governance” during his meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday evening, but declined to elaborate
Finer declined to say whether Biden had specifically addressed slum clearance when asked about it – after the White House issued a detailed statement on the issues discussed by the two men.
“What I want to say is that the nature of democratic governance both in the world and in each of our countries is a central aspect of the US-India bilateral relationship, and both Prime Minister Modi and President Biden have said what means that these topics are on the agenda in every conversation they have.
However, he refused to say which areas they were actually addressing after releasing a joint 29-point statement.
Finer said he would not go “issue by issue” and say what was covered.
Paragraph two of the statement said that the leaders “reemphasized that the shared values of freedom, democracy, human rights, inclusion, pluralism and equal opportunities for all citizens are crucial to the success of our countries and that these values strengthen our relationships .”’
Ishant Kumar, 10, son of Dharmender Kumar, who works as a clerk at Pragati Maidan, the main venue of the G20 summit, stands next to his bulldozed house during a demolition operation by authorities in a slum area near the upcoming summit in New Delhi, India , June 1, 2023
The White House was asked whether Biden had raised the issue of slum clearance during his meeting with Modi
The slum clearance is part of a broader effort by India to stun world leaders. Stray dogs have also been removed from New Delhi’s busy streets. Authorities in the Indian capital carried out a clean-up operation as part of a beautification project
President Biden met with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the start of his trip to India. The Indian government released a handout photo following the US press. The White House said India was disappointed that the Russian and Chinese leaders were not present and was pleased that Biden was present
City officials tried to drive away stray dogs, but many still roamed the city’s streets while businesses kept their cars and motorcycles away from the normally congested streets
He said it would be “misleading” to indicate what topics they might cover.
“What I’m saying is the broad category of issues that this falls into – democratic governance in the United States and India was high on the agenda.”
This comment suggests that democracy issues within the US were on par with those in India. Modi has been accused of pursuing a “cult of personality” while curbing the independence of the judiciary and stoking religious divisions, even as he continues to enjoy wide popularity. Meanwhile, the US’s reputation for stability has been undermined by January 6 and political strife as former President Trump faces multiple criminal trials.
In a briefing on Thursday, NSC official Kurt Campbell warned against “lecturing” the rising power and called for “a degree of humility in the face of some of the challenges we also face in our own country.”