Democracy is work in progress: Blinken on Indian Govt’s backslide on issues like human rights

New Delhi [India], July 28 (ANI): Regarding the Indian government approach on human rights matters, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken on Wednesday said that every democracy is a ‘work in progress’ and the challenges it faces renews and strengthens the democracies, Humbly India and US can learn from each other regardless of how old or large it is.

While speaking about India’s human rights record, he said, “We talk about in our founding document, search for a more perfect union that means we’re not perfect. No democracy regardless of how large or old has it all figured out”. Blinken, who is on his maiden visit to India said, “We also recognise that every democracy, starting with our own is a work in progress and when we discuss these issues, I certainly do it from starting point of humility.”

When asked about ‘have you addressed the Indian Government’s backslide on issues like human rights, US Secretary of State Blinken said, “India and the US are two of the biggest democracies in the world. We talk about in our founding document, search for a more perfect union that means we’re not perfect. Our quest is to get closer to the ideals we set for ourselves. At times, the challenge is painful and ugly, but as democracies, we do it openly. No democracy regardless of how large/old has it all figured out.

“We have seen challenges faced by democracy in the past and it faces today, but this is common to all democracies. I mentioned this earlier, We talk about in our founding document, search for a more perfect union that means that we are not perfect. Our quest is to get closer to the ideals we set for ourselves,” Blinken said at the end of talks with his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar in New Delhi.

Lauding Indian democracy, Blinken said that it is powered by free-thinking citizens. “Our shared values strengthen the US and India relationship. Like our own, India’s democracy is powered by its free-thinking citizens. We applaud that. We view Indian democracy as a force for good in defence of a free and open Indo-Pacific and a free and open world.

He also said that no democracy regardless of how old or large has it all figured out. “As friends (India and the US), we talk about these issues, we talk about challenges we face in renewing and strengthening our democracies. Humbly we can learn from each other. No democracy regardless of how old or large has it all figured out,” said Blinken. (ANI)