"Bombed 6 Muslim Countries": Nirmala Sitharaman Takes On Barack Obama

Nirmala Sitharaman lashed out at Barack Obama for an interview in which he said he would raise the subject of Indian Muslims with PM Modi.

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Sunday defended Prime Minister Narendra Modi from questions surrounding the treatment of Muslims in India and his answer on the subject during a press conference in the US.

Accusing the Congress and other opposition parties of raising "non-issues, without data" in the face of electoral defeats, she also lashed out at former US President Barack Obama, questioning his comments on Indian Muslims because the US under his rule had "bombed six Muslim-majority nations".

"The Honourable Prime Minister himself, in the press conference in the US, has said how his government works on the 'Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas' principle and doesn't discriminate against any community. But the fact remains that when people join in this debate and highlight issues which are non-issues in a way," Ms Sitharaman said at a news conference.

"Out of the 13 awards that he has been given as Prime Minister of the country, six have been given by countries where Muslims are in the majority," she said.