US praises India's historic election; dodges question by Pakistani reporter
What's the story
The United States State Department Spokesperson Matthew Miller has praised the recent Lok Sabha elections in India, calling them the largest exercise of electoral franchise in any country in history. Miller, however, refrained from answering questions regarding the absence of Muslim representation in the Lok Sabha, asserting that this is for the people of India to decide. "For specific results of that election, it's just not something we comment on," he said.
Democratic appreciation
US spokesperson praises India's electoral exercise
Miller's remarks were in response to a query from a Pakistani reporter who suggested that "Prime Minister Narendra Modi is attempting to transform India into a Hindu state, causing other religions to feel insecure." "I am just not going to comment on the Indian elections other than what we have said before, which is the electoral matters are matters for the Indian people to decide," he said.
Modi
BJP forms government with help of allies
Last week, Prime Minister Modi was sworn in for the third consecutive time after the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) secured a majority in the Lok Sabha elections. It won 293 seats out of the 543-member lower house, while the BJP secured just 240 seats, falling short of the 272 majority mark needed to form a government.
Election triumph
No Muslim representation in Modi 3.0 cabinet
Along with PM Modi, 71 MPs were also sworn in as Cabinet ministers. The new council of ministers includes 10 Dalits, 27 from the Other Backward Classes (OBCs), 21 from the "upper" castes, five from tribal groups, and five representing religious minorities. However, there are no Muslims. Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi was the minority affairs minister in the previous term, but he resigned in 2022 when his term in the Rajya Sabha ended, and BJP leader Smriti Irani took his position.