In Washington, Jaishankar shares India’s view on CAA with US Lawmakers

External affairs minister S. Jaishankar shared the Indian government’s point of view on the Citizenship Amendment Act with US lawmakers, even as the US administration indicated that they would keep an eye but will remain in the background, while the judicial review process and internal debate over the legislation is underway.

After the second India-US ‘2+2’ dialogue, US secretary of state Mike Pompeo had said that US “cares deeply and always about protecting minorities and religious rights everywhere”. “We honour Indian democracy as they have a strong debate on the issue that u raise. US will be consistent in the way we respond to this issue, not only in India, but all over the world,” Pomepo said in answer to a question at the press interaction.

Jaishankar and defence minister Rajnath Singh had travelled to Washington meet with their counterparts, Secretary of State Pompeo and US Defence secretary Mark Esper respectively.

Jaishankar also met with the key people in the House Foreign relations committee (HFAC), including Democrat representative Brad Sherman and Indian-American lawmaker Ami Bera.

The US administration has not made any direct criticism of the Act, but has urged India to protect the rights of its religious minorities in keeping with India’s Constitution and democratic values. The US ambassador at large for international religious freedom, Sam Brownback had expressed concern about the implications of CAA in a tweet dated December 14.