Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman claimed that Muslims in India are doing a lot better than the Muslims residing in Pakistan as she was responding to the adverse Western “perception” of India at an occasion in Washington on Monday.

Sitharaman arrived in Washington on Sunday to attend the spring conferences of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank and chair the second G20 finance ministers and central financial institution governors assembly beneath the Indian presidency.

Responding to a query on perceptions affecting funding in India or capital flows, Sitharaman, on the Peterson Institute for International Economics (PIIE), mentioned, “I would think the answer for that lies with those investors who are coming to India, and they have been coming. And as somebody who is interested in receiving investments, I would only say, come have a look at what’s happening in India, rather than listen to perceptions being built by people who have not even visited on the ground and who produce reports.”

When PIIE president Adam S Posen requested about there being widespread reporting within the Western media about MPs within the opposition celebration dropping standing, and about Muslim minorities in India being subjected to violence, the finance minister replied, “India has the second-largest Muslim population in the world, and that population is only growing in numbers. If there is a perception, or if there’s in reality, their lives are difficult or made difficult with the support of the state, which is what is implied in most of these write-ups, I would ask, will this happen in India in the sense, will the Muslim population be growing than what it was in 1947?”

Sitharaman contrasted Pakistan, which was fashioned when India was divided into two, with India by stating that she would take the identify of Pakistan to make the distinction sharper. Despite declaring itself an Islamic nation that promised to guard minorities, each minority group in Pakistan has dwindled in quantity and even some Muslim sects have been decimated.

“Violence prevails against Muhajirs, Shia and every other group you can name which is not accepted by the mainstream. I don’t know, Sunnis probably. Whereas in India you would find every strand of Muslims doing their business, their children getting educated. Fellowships are being given by the government,” information company ANI quoted her as saying.

She additionally urged World Trade Organisation (WTO) to be extra progressive.

“I would love the WTO to be more progressive, a lot more listening to all countries, and more fair. It has to give space to voices of the countries which have something different to say and not just hear but also somewhat heed,” she added.

(With inputs from ANI)