The White House, on June 26, pushed back strongly against those harassing Sabrina Siddiqui, the Wall Street Journal reporter who asked Prime Minister Narendra Modi a question on democratic backsliding in India during a press event at the White House on June 22, following Mr. Modi’s bilateral meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden.
The White House was aware of the reports of harassment, John Kirby, the U.S. National Security Council’s lead for strategic communication, said at June 26th’s White House press briefing.
“It’s unacceptable, and we absolutely condemn any harassment of journalists anywhere under any circumstances,” Mr. Kirby said adding that it was “antithetical to the very principles of democracy that were on display last week during the state visit”.
