This article is from the source 'nytimes' and was first published or seen on . It last changed over 40 days ago and won't be checked again for changes.
You can find the current article at its original source at http://www.nytimes.com/2015/01/28/world/asia/obama-ends-visit-with-challenge-to-india-on-climate-change.html
The article has changed 5 times. There is an RSS feed of changes available.
| Version 3 | Version 4 |
|---|---|
| As Visit Ends, Obama Presses India on Human Rights and Climate Change | As Visit Ends, Obama Presses India on Human Rights and Climate Change |
| (about 20 hours later) | |
| NEW DELHI — President Obama concluded his three-day trip here Tuesday with a tough-love message to his hosts, as he vowed to be “India’s best partner” in taking its place in the ranks of the world’s great powers but urged it to do more to protect human rights and fight climate change. | |
| In a pointed message wrapped in the language of friendship, Mr. Obama said India needed to combat human trafficking and slavery, elevate the status of girls and women in society, promote religious and racial tolerance and empower young people. He also argued that India had an obligation to curb greenhouse gases despite its economic challenges. | In a pointed message wrapped in the language of friendship, Mr. Obama said India needed to combat human trafficking and slavery, elevate the status of girls and women in society, promote religious and racial tolerance and empower young people. He also argued that India had an obligation to curb greenhouse gases despite its economic challenges. |
| Mr. Obama’s speech was aimed partly at his newfound friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been criticized for not doing more to protect political dissent and to guard against sectarian discrimination and conflict. While the two shared a warm visit, Mr. Obama in effect was saying that their developing partnership did not mean Mr. Modi would get a free pass. | Mr. Obama’s speech was aimed partly at his newfound friend, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has been criticized for not doing more to protect political dissent and to guard against sectarian discrimination and conflict. While the two shared a warm visit, Mr. Obama in effect was saying that their developing partnership did not mean Mr. Modi would get a free pass. |
| “America can be India’s best partner,” he told an audience of 1,500 mostly young Indians at Siri Fort Auditorium before departing the country. “America wants to be your partner as you lift up the lives of the Indian people and provide greater opportunity.” | “America can be India’s best partner,” he told an audience of 1,500 mostly young Indians at Siri Fort Auditorium before departing the country. “America wants to be your partner as you lift up the lives of the Indian people and provide greater opportunity.” |
| Mr. Obama spoke forcefully about India’s responsibility to stop treating women as second-class citizens. “Every girl’s life matters,” he said, as his wife, Michelle Obama, watched from the audience. “Every daughter deserves the same chance as our sons. Every woman should be able to go about her day, to walk the street or ride the bus, and be safe and be treated with respect and dignity. She deserves that.” | Mr. Obama spoke forcefully about India’s responsibility to stop treating women as second-class citizens. “Every girl’s life matters,” he said, as his wife, Michelle Obama, watched from the audience. “Every daughter deserves the same chance as our sons. Every woman should be able to go about her day, to walk the street or ride the bus, and be safe and be treated with respect and dignity. She deserves that.” |
| In a country where human rights groups say tens of millions of people are subject to forced labor, Mr. Obama added that India needed to crack down. “Together, we can stand up against human trafficking and work to end the scourge of modern-day slavery,” he said. But he did not mention the case of an Indian diplomat who was arrested in New York after being accused of exploiting her housekeeper, an episode that roiled the countries’ relationship for months. | In a country where human rights groups say tens of millions of people are subject to forced labor, Mr. Obama added that India needed to crack down. “Together, we can stand up against human trafficking and work to end the scourge of modern-day slavery,” he said. But he did not mention the case of an Indian diplomat who was arrested in New York after being accused of exploiting her housekeeper, an episode that roiled the countries’ relationship for months. |
| Mr. Obama called for religious tolerance in a nation that, like the United States, is home to a wide array of beliefs. “India will succeed so long as it is not splintered along the lines of religious faith — so long as it’s not splintered along any lines, and is unified as one nation,” he said. | Mr. Obama called for religious tolerance in a nation that, like the United States, is home to a wide array of beliefs. “India will succeed so long as it is not splintered along the lines of religious faith — so long as it’s not splintered along any lines, and is unified as one nation,” he said. |
| It was a notably sharp speech at the end of a trip dominated by displays of affection. But Mr. Obama had come under pressure from advocacy groups to deliver a strong appeal for human rights in a country proud of its democracy. Just before the speech, in fact, he met with Kailash Satyarthi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has long fought child slavery in India. Mr. Satyarthi told him there were still five million children living as slaves worldwide. | It was a notably sharp speech at the end of a trip dominated by displays of affection. But Mr. Obama had come under pressure from advocacy groups to deliver a strong appeal for human rights in a country proud of its democracy. Just before the speech, in fact, he met with Kailash Satyarthi, the Nobel Peace Prize laureate who has long fought child slavery in India. Mr. Satyarthi told him there were still five million children living as slaves worldwide. |
| But as he often does, Mr. Obama couched his edged comments with an acknowledgment of American flaws, an effort to avoid seeming as if he were lecturing. He cited his own experiences as an African-American. “Even as America has blessed us with extraordinary opportunities, there were moments in my life where I’ve been treated differently because of the color of my skin,” he said. | But as he often does, Mr. Obama couched his edged comments with an acknowledgment of American flaws, an effort to avoid seeming as if he were lecturing. He cited his own experiences as an African-American. “Even as America has blessed us with extraordinary opportunities, there were moments in my life where I’ve been treated differently because of the color of my skin,” he said. |
| For many Indian listeners, Mr. Obama’s words on religious diversity were the most important, and the most delicate, part of his speech, said Siddharth Varadarajan, a veteran journalist in India, adding that the president’s warnings “will not go over well” with leaders in Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. | For many Indian listeners, Mr. Obama’s words on religious diversity were the most important, and the most delicate, part of his speech, said Siddharth Varadarajan, a veteran journalist in India, adding that the president’s warnings “will not go over well” with leaders in Mr. Modi’s Bharatiya Janata Party. |
| Since Mr. Modi’s election last year, right-wing Hindu groups have tried to convert members of religious minorities, arguing that Muslims or Christians, or their forebears, were originally Hindu themselves. One of Mr. Modi’s ministers recently asked an audience, in a play on words in Hindi, to “decide whether you want a government of those born of Ram, or those born illegitimately,” words interpreted as derogatory to Muslims. | Since Mr. Modi’s election last year, right-wing Hindu groups have tried to convert members of religious minorities, arguing that Muslims or Christians, or their forebears, were originally Hindu themselves. One of Mr. Modi’s ministers recently asked an audience, in a play on words in Hindi, to “decide whether you want a government of those born of Ram, or those born illegitimately,” words interpreted as derogatory to Muslims. |
| Although Mr. Modi is said to have discouraged such rhetoric in private, he has so far made no public comment about it, though human rights activists have urged him to do so. | Although Mr. Modi is said to have discouraged such rhetoric in private, he has so far made no public comment about it, though human rights activists have urged him to do so. |
| “In as gentle and as diplomatic way as possible, Obama was drawing attention to something that is really, really important to India,” Mr. Varadarajan said. “In saying so, he has inadvertently drawn attention to Modi’s silence on the issue.” | “In as gentle and as diplomatic way as possible, Obama was drawing attention to something that is really, really important to India,” Mr. Varadarajan said. “In saying so, he has inadvertently drawn attention to Modi’s silence on the issue.” |
| For the last decade, Mr. Modi’s own relationship with the United States was dominated by human rights, a fact that both sides now downplay. The United States government denied him a visa in 2005 over allegations that he had failed to stop religious riots in the state he led, in which 1,000 people were killed, most of them Muslim. An Indian trial court ruled that there was no evidence that Mr. Modi was responsible. | For the last decade, Mr. Modi’s own relationship with the United States was dominated by human rights, a fact that both sides now downplay. The United States government denied him a visa in 2005 over allegations that he had failed to stop religious riots in the state he led, in which 1,000 people were killed, most of them Muslim. An Indian trial court ruled that there was no evidence that Mr. Modi was responsible. |
| Mr. Obama was careful not to tread on any of Mr. Modi’s sore points, such as by mentioning the 2002 riots, Mr. Varadarajan said. “I don’t think the United States is going to take this further,” he said. “There is too much riding on the commercial side for this to jeopardize anything. But I suppose somewhere down the line, the message goes out that in this globalized world, what you do at home is taken note of by your friends abroad.” | Mr. Obama was careful not to tread on any of Mr. Modi’s sore points, such as by mentioning the 2002 riots, Mr. Varadarajan said. “I don’t think the United States is going to take this further,” he said. “There is too much riding on the commercial side for this to jeopardize anything. But I suppose somewhere down the line, the message goes out that in this globalized world, what you do at home is taken note of by your friends abroad.” |
| Others, though, bristled at what they considered a hectoring tone. Chetan Bhagat, a popular author, noted that Mr. Obama would not give such an address at his next stop, in Saudi Arabia, a country known for its repressive monarchy, a ban on women driving cars and a recent conviction of a blogger sentenced to 1,000 lashes and 10 years in prison for supposedly insulting Islam. | |
| “He’s not even going to get a chance to give a speech like that there, and he is much closer to them,” Mr. Bhagat told the news channel NDTV. “To say the prime minister took it really seriously is to go a little too far.” | |
| On a morning when New Delhi was bathed in smog, the president’s remarks on climate change touched on a central priority of his visit. While he and Mr. Modi agreed to cooperate in promoting cleaner energy, Mr. Obama left without the sort of specific commitment to curbing greenhouse gases that he won in China last year. Instead, he used the farewell speech to press India to take on the issue more robustly. | On a morning when New Delhi was bathed in smog, the president’s remarks on climate change touched on a central priority of his visit. While he and Mr. Modi agreed to cooperate in promoting cleaner energy, Mr. Obama left without the sort of specific commitment to curbing greenhouse gases that he won in China last year. Instead, he used the farewell speech to press India to take on the issue more robustly. |
| “I know the argument made by some — that it’s unfair for countries like the United States to ask developing nations and emerging economies like India to reduce your dependence on the same fossil fuels that helped power our growth for more than a century,” he said. “But here’s the truth: Even if countries like the United States curb our emissions, if countries that are growing rapidly, like India, with soaring energy needs don’t also embrace cleaner fuels, then we don’t stand a chance against climate change.” | “I know the argument made by some — that it’s unfair for countries like the United States to ask developing nations and emerging economies like India to reduce your dependence on the same fossil fuels that helped power our growth for more than a century,” he said. “But here’s the truth: Even if countries like the United States curb our emissions, if countries that are growing rapidly, like India, with soaring energy needs don’t also embrace cleaner fuels, then we don’t stand a chance against climate change.” |