Hollowness of G-20 Commitments: U.S. reporters taste limited press freedom in India

The way U.S. president could not hold a press interaction after bilateral interactions in India exposed hollowness of commitments adopted at G-20 summit

By Muslim Network TV

A day after the G-20 summit in New Delhi affirmed its commitment to religious respect, Muslim community in Maharashtra’s Satara district was reportedly attacked. The incident, in Pusesavali village, was sparked by controversial social media posts, with witnesses saying a large Hindu mob targeted Muslim property.

Naveed Hamid, a social activist, suggested that host India violated the G-20’s commitment just a day after its adoption, even while some delegates remained in the country.

A para in the G-20 declaration, influenced by Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, highlighted respect for religious and cultural diversity and emphasized freedoms of religion, opinion, and peaceful assembly. The document condemned terrorism in the forms of racism, xenophobia and recognized all religions’ commitment to peace.

However, the way U.S. President Joe Biden could not hold a press interaction to confide the issues that he had raised with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during bilateral interactions, showed hollowness of these commitments.

He had to reach Vietnamese capital Hanoi to reveal that he had discussed human rights, civil society, and press freedom with Modi during the G-20 sidelines.

Notably, the official report from their meeting in New Delhi didn’t mention these topics.

“I always emphasize the significance of human rights, civil society, a free press, and the importance of a prosperous nation. We accomplished a lot in our discussion,” President Biden commented.

Post-discussion, no standard press interaction was allowed. Insiders hinted that Biden was discouraged from holding a solo press conference, lest its puts Modi in bad light in presence of world leaders. When former U.S. President Donald Trump visited Indian in 2020, he also had to conduct a solo press conference.

U.S. reporters accompanying Biden experienced India’s press restrictions firsthand. They were confined to a van outside the Prime Minister’s residence.

Reuters noted the unusual situation for the U.S. press, accustomed to documenting the president’s public appearances.

Humera Pamuk, the Reuters foreign policy reporter covering the U.S. State Department tweeted how “questions about press access on the India trip have been persistent, after the official White House schedule did not show that the usual pool of reporters would be allowed in for the start of the Modi-Biden meeting.”

The press on board Air Force One appeared peeved about not being able to operate in India.

According to a White House transcript, the media aboard Air Force One expressed frustration over their limited operation in India.

When asked about the limited press access, Jacob Sullivan, Biden’s national security advisor, mentioned the unique nature of a meeting at the Prime Minister’s residence but acknowledged the concerns.

He said: “We recognize its seriousness. We’re doing our best, respecting the protocols of such meetings, especially at a personal residence.”

In earlier times, limited questions were permitted during bilateral talks at Hyderabad House, a usual seat for bilateral meetings in New Delhi.

However, this changed after Modi’s 2014 election. Only once did Modi faced a press conference was during his U.S. visit earlier this year, leading to online trolling of the journalist who posed a question.

India’s opposition Congress party criticized Modi, alleging reluctance to hold press conferences. Senior Congress leader Jairam Ramesh claimed Biden’s team was denied media interaction post the bilateral meeting.

Ramesh, on X (formerly Twitter), wrote: “Despite repeated requests, India hasn’t allowed the media to question Biden and Modi post their bilateral meeting.”

India’s ranking in the 2023 World Press Freedom Index has slipped to 161 out of 180 countries, according to the report released by global media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) a few months ago.