Efforts to portray India as 'mother of democracy' abroad on: MEA in RS

New Delhi: External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Thursday told the Rajya Sabha that India has initiated activities through its cultural centres abroad to emphasise the message that India is the mother of democracy.

Replying to a supplementary during question hour in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said, this matter has been discussed by us with the Indian Council of Cultural Relations.

"We have already initiated activities abroad through our cultural centres to emphasise the message that India is the mother of democracy, that India has a pluralistic and consultative tradition that very few societies, if anybody at all, can match," he told the members.

In reply to BJP Member Rakesh Sinha about whether a discourse will be initiated on India being the mother of democracy in leading institutions such as Harvard and Cambridge abroad, through its cultural centres since the PM has called India a Mother of Democracy, Jaishankar said, "this is a very much work in progress."