New Delhi [India]: Stating that religious freedom is an important part of any democracy, the US Ambassador to India, Eric Garcetti, said that sometimes New Delhi and Washington can "agree to disagree" on certain things and it should not be read negatively.
The US State Department had earlier said that it is "concerned" over the notification of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in India, adding that it is "closely monitoring" the implementation of the act.
Speaking to ANI, Garcetti said, "It's something that we monitor, and I said that. And I said in broad strokes that religious freedom is an important part of any democracy. Protecting minorities is very important. That doesn't have to be read negatively."
"And I think it's the job of monitoring what happens. That's the job of an ambassador. That's the job of a state department. The Ministry of External Affairs' job and the Indian ambassador's job is to monitor and to report. And we simply said that," he added.
He further acknowledged that the US too has a "ton of flaws" and is open to criticism, while emphasising the importance of finding common international law and respecting every country's specific history.
"We have a deep friendship. It's very respectful. Sometimes we can agree to disagree on things and continue with our business, and we shouldn't take it with thin skin. We shouldn't take it personally. Certainly, I open up the United States, I say all the time, from a place of humility. We have a tonne of flaws. We're open to criticism. We want to listen," Garcetti said.