The White House on Monday dismissed concerns over the health of democracy in India and said anybody who happens to go to New Delhi can see that for themselves.

Hitting out at Rahul Gandhi over his recent statements during his US visit, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday said that the remarks of the White House on the health of democracy in India served as a tight slap on “yuvraj” of the Congress. BJP national spokesperson Syed Zafar Islam said it was “ironical” that the White House says India is a vibrant democracy while Rahul Gandhi “shamelessly” continues to criticise India’s democracy during his US visit.

Isn’t it ironical that while Rahul Gandhi shamelessly continues to criticise our democracy during his US visit, the White House says India is a vibrant democracy. What a tight slap on Yuvraj of the Congress. Under PM Shri Narendra Modi our democracy is safe,” Islam said.

The BJP spokesperson was reacting to the comments of John Kirby, Coordinator for Strategic Communications at the National Security Council in the White House, at a news conference in Washington.

Kirby on Monday dismissed concerns over the health of democracy in India under Prime Minister Narendra Modi and said anybody who happens to go to New Delhi can see that for themselves. He also stressed that the Biden administration never shies away from “expressing concerns that we might have with anyone around the world.”

India is a vibrant democracy. Anybody that, you know, happens to go to New Delhi can see that for themselves. And certainly, I would expect that the strength and health of democratic institutions will be part of the discussion,” Kirby said.

Prime Minister Modi will be on a state visit to the US later this month. US President Joe Biden and First Lady Jill Biden will host Prime Minister Modi for the official state visit, which will include a state dinner, on June 22, 2023.