Some parties running campaign that India is unsafe for minorities, says Minority Affairs Minister

Kiren Rijiju
| Photo Credit: ANI

Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Monday (August 12) said that a campaign was being run across the globe to project that minorities were not safe in India. He accused Opposition parties of defaming the country by using foreign media.

Speaking at an event organised by the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) minority morcha in Delhi, Mr. Rijiu said that whenever there was tension or disturbance in the neighbouring countries, the people of those places took refuge in India.

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“Be it from Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Afghanistan and Bangladesh, people from the neighbouring countries have taken shelter in India over the decades because everyone thinks India is safe,” he said.

He also referred to Tibetan refugees from China and pro-democracy activists from Myanmar who have taken refuge in India in the past several years.

“At such a time, there are some parties and organisations in our country … They go to Western countries and use their media to defame (India) and say it is not safe for minorities,” Mr. Rijiju said.

The Minister alleged that such a malicious campaign was running in a calculated and organised manner and urged the members of the BJP minority morcha to strongly counter the same.

“There are six constitutionally recognised minorities in India but it is just a name that we call them minority…. no one in this country is suppressed or oppressed, there is no discrimination against minorities in India,” he claimed.

He also claimed that there might be six minority communities in India, according to the Constitution, but “practically, physically, technically, emotionally, socially”, there were no minorities.