In parting shot, Obama prods India on religious freedom

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By Frank Jack Daniel and Roberta Rampton NEW DELHI (Reuters) - U.S. President Barack Obama weighed in on one of India's most sensitive topics as he wound up a visit on Tuesday, making a plea for freedom of religion to be upheld in a country with a history of strife between Hindus and minorities. Hours before boarding a flight to Saudi Arabia, Obama warned India not to stray from its constitutional commitment to allow people to freely "profess, practice and propagate" religion. "India will succeed so long as it is not splintered along the lines of religious faith, as long as it is not splintered along any lines, and it is unified as one nation," he said in a townhall address to mostly young Indians. Obama's speech, after three days in New Delhi aimed at cementing a strategic partnership, was widely interpreted as a message to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his Hindu nationalist Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), whose rise to power emboldened activists to declare India a nation of Hindus.




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I asked many people just what was Obama doing in India besides a visit to the Taj so this must be the reason to instruct Indians on their religion .:???:
 
At $200,000 an hour it should be a good speech that didn't need to be made , India has 3 times the population of the U.S. and has been around a lot longer than U.S. and seem to be doing quite well with out any lectures or speeches from Obama which by the way makes one wonder what the hell was he doing in India .
 
I disagree, good relates and foreign affairs should be part of the presidents agenda. He's preaching strong democratic principles. Do you prefer isolationism, that's a bygone era.
 
The most powerful man in the world doesn't need to go anywhere to see anyone I hope the next President understands that .
 
Obama's foreign policy is a total disaster. Everything he and John Kerry gets involved in turns to crap. Finish your term on the golf course Obama, we are much better off.
 
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