Religious minority in India decides political majority: Mani Shankar Aiyer

DUBAI: Political parties in India seek minority support because they cannot form a government without them, senior Congress leader Mani Shankar Aiyer has said.

"It is the religious minority in India that decides who gets the political majority," he said while speaking in Sharjah yesterday at the Sir Syed Day, commemorating the 196th anniversary of the founder of Aligarh Muslim University.

This is evident in burqas being distributed to give the impression that Muslim women are attending their rallies, Aiyer said, without naming any party.

Aiyer said all Indians have distinct identities and all these identities must be respected.

"India's nationalism lies in its diversity," he said. Aiyer said some neighbouring countries are finding it difficult to define their nationalism because they have chosen not to respect the identity of its various constituents.