'It was Honest,' Says US Envoy on Barack Obama's Speech on Religious Tolerance

US President Barack Obama's comments on religious tolerance may have triggered quite a furore in India, but Richard Verma, America's envoy to US, believes that it was a "very honest speech".

At an event in Mumbai, Mr Verma, who took over as the American ambassador to India in January this year, said the US President had also addressed his "personal struggles" in the speech.

"He also talked about his own personal challenges that he has faced on racial issues. It was a very honest speech. Those words speak for themselves. It was also a conversation between friends where they had an honest discussion about the pitfalls that might lie ahead and what we have endured as a country in our quest for a more perfect union. And that's the spirit I would have taken it in. That's how it was intended to be received," said Mr Verma, the first person of Indian origin to be appointed to the post.

He also spoke about the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal, the modalities of which were finalised during President Obama's visit to India in January to attend the Republic Day celebrations as the Chief Guest.

"It is not the US government but private companies that have to assess the assurances that were given to make sure they're comfortable with the legal environment and the commitment to the international practice on channeling. We're going to continue to have those discussions with the companies. The companies or the contact groups will continue to meet," he said.

But the work on the agreement, inked during the previous UPA government's regime, is not over yet, said Mr Verma.

"It wasn't over with the President's visit. We have worked very hard at this because ultimately this is about providing electricity to the hundred million people that don't have it and to do it in a non-carbon intensive way," he said.

When asked about the Aam Aadmi Party's stunning election victory in Delhi on Tuesday, Ambassador Verma said, "Democracies have elections and elections can be unpredictable and exciting".