modimask
Member of the European Parliament Viorica Dancila today put forward a question to the European Commission regarding the Prime Minister of India Mr Narender Modi’s past record in keeping minorities safe in India.
The question was directed under Rule 130 to the European Commission.
The question raised
Question for written answer E-006046/2014
to the Commission
Rule 130
Viorica Dăncilă (S&D)
 
Subject:      Indian minorities
 
Following the general elections held in India last May, Narendra Modi of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) was elected Prime Minister. However, recent reports in the international media have expressed great concern over Modi’s past record and nationalist agenda. Modi, a member of a Hindu nationalist party, has been criticised for his role in the deadly Gujarat Hindu-Muslim riots of 2002 in which more than 1 000 members of the Muslim community lost their lives. Modi was Chief Minister of the state at the time.
India’s 1.3 billion population comprises a large number of minority groups, including Christians, Muslims and others.
 
Is the EU monitoring the situation in India regarding minority rights and the policy that the new Indian leadership intends to pursue on this matter?
 
Are the issue of the large proportion of India’s population living in conditions of extreme poverty and the initiatives that will provide greater access to education and food safety part of the ongoing EU-India FTA negotiations?
 
Given that national policies regarding minorities could potentially threaten peace and security in South Asia, including in Afghanistan, Pakistan, Bangladesh and India, is the EU pursuing a collective agreement between these countries with a view to addressing such concerns?
http://www.europarl.europa.eu/plenary/en/parliamentary-questions.html