Rijiju calls opposition's minority persecution allegations propaganda
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New Delhi: Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju has accused opposition parties of spreading what he described as propaganda by claiming that minorities are unsafe in India and denied allegations of discrimination against religious communities.
Speaking at the Minority Affairs Ministry's 'Reforms Utsav' at Bharat Mandapam, Rijiju claimed that assertions about minorities being denied justice, facing conspiracies or living without security in India were politically motivated narratives advanced by opponents of the government. He claimed that citizens should judge the government's record based on its policies and performance rather than opposition allegations.
Rijiju maintained that India remains a democratic country where freedom of speech is protected and political parties routinely make accusations against one another during elections and parliamentary debates. He claimed that many criticisms directed at the government were part of a broader campaign aimed at discrediting its achievements.
Seeking to counter allegations of discrimination, the minister pointed to welfare measures introduced by the Modi government for minority communities. He cited the Jiyo Parsi scheme as an example, claiming it demonstrated the government's commitment to protecting even very small minority groups.
Rijiju further claimed that the communal incidents reported in different parts of the country were isolated occurrences, while many other disputes were local issues that should not be portrayed as evidence of widespread persecution of minorities. He claimed that attempts to present such incidents as proof of systematic discrimination created a misleading picture of the situation in India and undermined social harmony.
Rijiju further claimed that some individuals and groups, including those operating from outside India, were deliberately spreading misinformation about the country. He alleged that such efforts were driven by hostility towards India's growth and were intended to create divisions and weaken the nation.
He asserted that all Indian citizens enjoy equal rights regardless of their religious identity and rejected claims of discrimination against minorities.
