Rijiju says minorities enjoy absolute freedom in India, Owaisi responds with sharp critique

Union Minister for Minority Affairs Kiren Rijiju has said that minorities in India enjoy “absolute freedom and protection” due to the secular and tolerant character of the Hindu majority, asserting that India remains the safest country in the world for minority communities.

In an interview with PTI Videos, Rijiju dismissed claims that minorities are unsafe in India and accused what he called the "Left ecosystem backed by the Congress party" of spreading a false narrative. “There’s not a single case I have seen where a minority member is willing to leave India due to discrimination,” he said, adding that "whatever the majority gets, the minority also gets — and in many cases, minorities receive more."

Drawing attention to the migration of persecuted communities from neighbouring countries, he said that India remains their preferred refuge due to the strength of its Constitution and social fabric. “From Tibetans to Tamils, from Afghans to Bangladeshis, people turn to India for safety,” he said.

Rijiju, who himself belongs to a minority community, said, “Imagine if we were part of Pakistan or Bangladesh during Partition — we would have been refugees. The Hindu majority ensures everyone is safe in India.”

Also Read: Kiren Rijiju Urges Rahul Gandhi to exercise caution on foreign policy remarks ahead of Monsoon Session

The minister also underscored that minority-specific schemes and gap-funding programmes continue to be implemented nationwide by his ministry.

Responding to his remarks, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi launched a strong counter, asserting that minority rights are not charity but fundamental constitutional guarantees. “You are a minister of the Indian Republic, not a monarch… India’s minorities are not even second-class citizens anymore. We are hostages,” Owaisi wrote in a post on X (formerly Twitter).

Owaisi also rejected Rijiju’s claim that Indian minorities do not migrate, saying, “We are not in the habit of fleeing. We didn’t run from the British or during Partition, nor during the massacres of Jammu, Nellie, Gujarat, Moradabad, or Delhi. Our history shows we don’t hide from oppression.”

In reply, Rijiju reiterated that minorities in India enjoy unparalleled benefits and that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s welfare schemes apply to all, with additional support extended to notified minority communities.

The exchange comes amid renewed political debate around religious identity, minority rights, and the narrative of secularism in India — issues likely to remain in focus ahead of key electoral contests.