New Delhi, May 18 -- The Indian government has rejected the notion of a decline in media freedom and rights of minority communities, with a senior diplomat saying the country is a "vibrant democracy" that has achieved economic progress without compromising on democratic principles. The comments were made by Sibi George, secretary (West) in the external affairs ministry while responding to questions from Dutch reporters about comments reportedly made by Netherlands Prime Minister Rob Jetten, expressing concern at a perceived slide in freedom of expression in India. "We face this kind of question basically because of the lack of understanding of the person who asks the question," George said at a news briefing in the Netherlands capital on Saturday night following Prime Minister Narendra Modi's meeting with Jetten. The Netherlands was the second stop in a five-nation tour by Modi. People familiar with the matter, on condition of anonymity, said that the Dutch PM did not raise these issues with his Indian counterpart during their bilateral meetings or any other engagement on Saturday. The talks between the two leaders concluded with a decision to elevate bilateral relations to a strategic partnership, and the two sides took steps to boost cooperation in migration and mobility, shipping, critical minerals and renewable energy. George sought to defend India's position on media freedom and rights of minority communities by highlighting the country's cultural, lingusitic and religious diversity. Four religions - Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism - originated in India and continue to flourish in the country, while Christianity came to the region immediately after the resurrection of Jesus Christ, and Islam came to India during the time of Prophet Mohammed himself, he said. "India is perhaps one of those very few countries where the Jewish population never faced persecution. This is the beauty of India," he said....