Sir — This refers to the editorial, “President, don’t preach” (February 9). It is an apt description of the hypocrisy and double standards of the US. The editorial has rightly pointed out that President Barack Obama’s recent comments on religious intolerance in India are typical of America’s “moral policing tendencies” and expose its “double standards on the same values it preaches to the world.”
First, up until the 1950s, Blacks and Whites were officially segregated in the US. At that time, in India, our minority communities were treated as equals and with respect. This was despite the catastrophic partition of the country on religious grounds. Yet, there was no large-scale violence or one-sided retribution against Muslims in independent India.
Second, India has been sheltering the Dalai lama since 1959, inviting Chinese displeasure. This cost us dearly in 1962 during the India-China war. Yet, the Dalai lama is still living comfortably in India, while the US, despite its unique power position, has failed to seek any relief for him and his millions of followers. Third, it seems that a few communal incidents in India have affected Mr Obama so much that he has forgotten the track record of communal harmony in a country of more than a billion people. Fourth, it is possible that Mr Obama’s comments against India were to please Pakistan.