Minorities in India were safe, are safe and will remain safe: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday asserted that minorities in India were safe, are safe and will remain safe, adding that the country does not divide people on the basis of caste or religion.

Addressing an event of Bharatiya Veer Jawan Trust in Surat, Singh hit out at Pakistan saying that the country which is not able to provide security to the minorities on its soil, talks about the human rights.

"Pakistan, which isn't able to provide security to the minorities in its country, is talking about human rights. If human rights violations are taking place anywhere, it's in Pakistan. The minority in India was safe, is safe, and will remain safe," he said.

Singh also said while the population of minorities in India has increased after Independence, human rights violations keep taking place in Pakistan against Sikhs, Buddhists and others.

Asserting that Pakistan did not like the development and progress of India, he said, "Article 370 was abrogated but Pakistan did not digest it well. It went to the United Nations and started lying to deceive international orgsation. Pakistan is talking about human Rights Commission when it could not protect minorities in its own land."

Singh continued, "Human Rights violations are taking place in Pakistan. It is taking place on Baloch people, Hindus, Sikhs, Jains, and Buddhists. Pakistan is trying to defame India by talking about human rights at the international orgsation. But nobody agrees with Pakistan."

Differentiating about the situation of minorities in India and Pakistan, Singh said," After partition, the population of minorities in Pakistan have ever since been falling but I can say with full confidence that the population of minorities in India has increased. Minorities have always been secure in India, they are and they will be in the future."

He added, "I want to say to Pakistan that India was divided on the basis of religion during the partition and it was made possible by those who made Pakistan and have the ideology to do politics of religion. India does not believe in the politics of caste and religion. It believes in humty and justice."

The Defence Minister cautioned Pakistan saying, "In 1971, Pakistan which was formed on the basis of religion was divided into two parts. If politics based on religion carry on in Pakistan then no one can prevent it from getting divided into several parts...If Pakistan does not stop supporting terrorism then it cannot be denied that it will be divided into several parts."

"I have clearly stated that if talks take place between India and Pakistan, then it will be on Pakistan Occupied Kashmir (PoK)," he said.

Cautioning Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan, he said, "Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan in PoK said to his soldiers don't go to LoC till I ask you. I want to say that he gave good advice to his soldiers as our soldiers are waiting and those who cross the LoC will not be able to go back."

Singh's statement came days after Khan while speaking in Muzaffarabad, had urged the people of his country not to march toward the LoC until he asks them to.

"Looking at our security forces I can say with full confidence that no one can harm our country both from internally and externally," he added.

( With inputs from ANI )