WEB DESK

Amid row over CAA and NRC, the US President Donald Trump is likely to raise the issue of religious freedom with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to India next week according to the US official. The White House on Friday also noted that the US has great respect for India’s democratic traditions and institutions.

“And we are concerned with some of the issues that you have raised,” the senior administration official said, in response to the question on CAA and NRC.

“I think the President will talk about these issues in his meetings with Prime Minister Modi and note that the world is looking to India to continue to uphold its democratic traditions, respect for religious minorities,” the official said.

Speaking about whether Trump will speak to PM Modi over the CAA, a White House official said, “President Trump will talk about our shared tradition of democracy and religious freedom both in his public remarks and then certainly in private.”

“President Trump will talk about our shared tradition of democracy and religious freedom both in his public remarks and then certainly in private. He will raise these issues, particularly the religious freedom issue, which is extremely important to this administration,” a senior official told media in a conference call.

The official was responding to a question on whether the president was planning to speak to Modi on the Citizenship (Amendment) Act or the National Register of Citizens.

“We do have this shared commitment to upholding our universal values, the rule of law. We have great respect for India’s democratic traditions and institutions, and we will continue to encourage India to uphold those traditions,” the official said, requesting anonymity.