Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian said Minorities are safest in India. File
| Photo Credit: The Hindu
“Minorities are safest in India”, said Minister of State for Minority Affairs George Kurian on Tuesday (March 25, 2025) as he compared the status of minorities in neighbouring countries like Pakistan, Bangladesh and China.
Speaking to the members of State Minority Commission in Delhi during a meeting organised by the National Minority Commission (NCM), Mr. Kurian emphasised the Centre’s commitment to the empowerment of minority communities. He highlighted that there are numerous schemes dedicated to uplifting minorities along with additional initiatives designed for their welfare.
Stressing that minorities in India enjoy greater safety and security compared to some neighbouring nations, he said, “We can say that India is the safest place for minorities than any country in the world… See you look at our neighbour Pakistan. What is the condition of minorities in Pakistan where Christians are minorities. What is the plight of Christians there? What is the condition of Hindus there.”
The Minister said world knows the plight of Christians and Muslims in China where they are minorities.
“You take Myanmar where Muslims are minority. I don’t have to explain about Rohingiyas. You take Bangladesh, then again no need to explain what is happening to minorities there. In Sri Lanka, I don’t have to explain what happened on the Easter night.” he said.
Sri Lanka was rocked by a series of deadly blasts on April 21, 2019, which was the Easter night. The attacks were allegedly in a series of coordinated Islamic terrorist suicide bombings. More than 300 people lost their lives in the attack and several were injured.
The Minister also alleged that European countries, who he said are the preachers of all these ‘rights’, face communal violence every month. “Its just that they don’t accept it as communal rights. No need to say anything about America. This is why I say India is safest place for minorities. Here we can raise our voice. We can protest. We can ask the government to give and its compelled to give,” he added.
Minister of Minority Affairs, Kiren Rijiju, also attended the event as he reaffirmed the government’s commitment to the welfare of minority communities, emphasising the need for cooperation among various faith groups.
He assured that the Ministry would examine requests from State governments for gap funding support to strengthen and implement schemes and initiatives aimed at empowering and uplifting minorities, ensuring inclusive development across the country.
NCM Chairman, Iqbal Singh Lalpura, elaborated on the contributions of minority communities to nation-building and underscored the role of the commission as a platform for addressing key issues. He welcomed the voices, opinions, and perspectives of participants and assured that the commission would incorporate best practices from various State Minority Commissions.
Published – March 25, 2025 11:05 pm IST
