Kiren Rijiju criticises ex-VP Ansari's intolerance remark; 'India the safest nation'

Union Law Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday expressed his disappointment at former Vice President Hamid Ansari's 'intolerance' remark on a US Congressional briefing, and said that "it was wrong." Taking to microblogging site Twitter, Rijiju underlined that he, too, belonged to a minority community, and strongly asserted that India is the 'safest nation'. 

"Minorities facing trouble in any of our neighbouring countries prefer to seek refuge in India because India is safe. Let's be grateful to our great nation," Rijiju said in a series of tweets.

Participating in the virtual panel discussion from India, former vice president Ansari had expressed concern over the rising trend of Hindu nationalism. “In recent years, we have experienced the emergence of trends and practices that dispute the well-established principle of civic nationalism and interpose a new and imaginary practice of cultural nationalism…. It wants to distinguish citizens on the basis of their faith, give vent to intolerance, insinuate otherness, and promote disquiet and insecurity,” he had said.

'India's culture is inclusive': Kiren Rijiju

Countering the former vice president, Rijiju wrote, "Some isolated incidents do take place at individual-community level but Indian culture is always inclusive. PM Narendra Modi Ji's mantra is SABKA-SAATH SABKA-VIKAS SABKA-VISHWAS SABKA-PRAYAS. (sic)"

"Before 2014, communal riots and violence were regular but India is more peaceful now," he added. 

'India is a robust and vibrant democracy': MEA

Earlier in the day, the Government of India had reacted to the event. "We have seen reports on this event. India is a robust and vibrant democracy. It does not require certification from others," the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) said, adding, "The claim that others need to protect our Constitution is presumptuous and preposterous." 

Addressing a media briefing, MEA spokesperson Arindam Bagchi said, "The track record of event organisers is as well known as the biases and political interests of the participants."

The event was organised by a coalition of 17 US-based rights organisations. The organisations included the Indian American Muslim Council, Amnesty International (US), Genocide Watch, and Hindus for Human Rights who are perceived to take an anti-India stance on many occasions.