New Delhi, July 08: India on Wednesday said while it
considers human trafficking a serious problem, it is not
taking cognizance of a US report on the issue and does not
attach too much importance to the document.
"I cannot stop an American government's agency
submitting a report to the American Congress. We don't take
cognizance of that report... I don't think we need to attach
too much importance...," Home Minister P Chidambaram said in
the Rajya Sabha, answering supplementaries during Question
Hour.
Chidambaram was addressing concerns of BJP Member Prabhat
Jha, who said the country was getting a bad name as the US
report talked about the problems of trafficking in India.
However the Home Minister disagreed with the Member.
"I don't see any reason why we should feel that we have
been defamed?" he asked, adding that in 'Tier II Watch List'
(mentioned in the US report), along with India, there are 52
other countries.
"They (US) have included China, Russia, Argentina, Egypt,
Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh. So I don't think we need
to attach too much importance," Chidambaram observed.
But he said India is taking measures as an "enlightened
nation and not because somebody else points it out to us".
Bureau Report
First Published: Wednesday, July 08, 2009, 18:53