US cares deeply about protecting minorities, religious rights everywhere: Mike Pompeo

The United States cares deeply about protecting minorities and religious rights everywhere, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said on Wednesday (local time), while stressing that his country will be consistent in its response to these issues, not only in India but across the world.

"We care deeply and always will about protecting minorities, protecting religious rights everywhere. We honour Indian democracy and they have a robust debate in India on the issue. The US will be consistent in its response to these issues, not only in India but all across the world," he said during the joint presser with US Defence Secretary Mark Esper, Indian External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

His remarks came after being asked whether he thinks "it is appropriate for a democracy to use faith as a determining criteria for citizenship."

Responding to the same query, External Affairs Minister (EAM) S Jaishankar said, "If you had followed the debate on that particular legislation carefully, you would see that it is a measure designed to address the needs of persecuted religious minorities from certain countries. If you look at where those countries are, and therefore what there minorities are...you would understand why certain religions were identified in terms of characterising those who had come across."

The Indian Parliament had recently passed the Citizenship (Amendment) Bill, 2019 and it became an Act after receiving assent from President Ram Nath Kovind.

The Act grants Indian citizenship to refugees from Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi communities fleeing religious persecution from Pakistan, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.