Minorities safest in India: Union minister Kiren Rijiju

Union minister Kiren Rijiju on Wednesday hit out at Congress leader Rahul Gandhi over his remarks on minorities and said they are the safest in India. Responding to a question on Gandhi's remarks in the US that RSS considers some religions, languages and communities inferior to others, Rijiju said, "No matter the amount of effort made, India cannot be defamed because India's Constitution and culture do not differentiate between people."

He said people who want to defame India with the help of anti-India forces will not succeed.

The Minister for Minority Affairs who also holds the Parliamentary Affairs portfolio pointed out that minorities in India's neighbourhood come here if something wrong happens to them there.


"Minorities are the safest in India," he asserted.

Addressing on Monday a gathering of several hundred Indian Americans in Herndon, a Virginia suburb of Washington DC, the leader of opposition accused the RSS of considering some religions, languages and communities of being inferior to others and said the fight in India is about this and not about politics.

"First of all, you have to understand what the fight is about. The fight is not about politics. That is superficial," Gandhi said.

Rijiju also said the last time Indian Constitution and parliamentary system were attacked was during the imposition of Emergency in 1975.

Responding to another question on Gandhi's claim that China has occupied Indian land, Rijiju said it was not appropriate to defame India on foreign soil.

"After Narendra Modi came to power, no one has been able to take over our land... Last time I had asked leaders of opposition parties in the House to accompany me (to the border) if they had the time," he said.

He said prior to 1962, if there was no demarcation, the Chinese can take over our land.

" It is not possible," he asserted.