US President Joe Biden and visiting Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi delivered remarks and took questions from journalists on Thursday during the Indian leader’s state visit, an important briefing after the joint deliberations between both leaders.

According to White House national security spokesperson John Kirby, the White House acknowledged the significance of the press conference as PM Modi is not keen on doing open press conferences, but he made an exception this time given the significance of his visit which is a full-fledged diplomatic visit.

During the address, President Biden and Prime Minister Modi took two questions each from the media, one of which was directed towards the Indian leader by an American Journalist. The question was regarding the alleged claims of mistreatment of minorities in India, especially Muslims.

As and when it was announced by White House officials that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will take two questions, it had become pretty clear as to what questions might be asked. President Joe Biden’s own Democratic Party leaders were sending out tweets boycotting PM Modi’s address to the joint session of the US Congress.

I was taken aback when you say ‘India is a democracy’ : Prime Minister Modi to American Journalist

Responding to the question of the American Journalist Prime Minister said, “I was taken aback when you said that people say that “India is a democracy,” he said. “India is a democracy, and as President Biden said, Democracy is in the DNA of India and USA’ he further went on to say. “Democracy is in our spirit, our values and we live by it, our ancestors have drafted those words in our constitution, our government functions solemnly on the values engraved in our constitution,” he said as he refuted the claims made by the American journalist.

It is important to note however that White House officials generally keep the joint addresses hard and fast and world leaders attending them are rarely exposed to undesignated reporters or journalists with on-the-spot questioning. It is always made sure that both domestic and international media are marked and are supposed to ask one or two questions only.

PM Modi ended his address by citing his busy schedule as he was supposed to address the US Congress later in the day.