In a stern reply, India on Wednesday slammed Pakistan over its recent statement on the Ram Mandir flag-hoisting ceremony, saying Islamabad, with a long record of repression and bigotry of its minorities, has no moral authority to lecture others.
New Delhi's response a day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi ceremonially hoisted a saffron flag on the spire of the Ram temple in UP’s Ayodhya on Tuesday, symbolising the completion of its construction.
While the ceremony was a moment of emotional and spiritual significance for Hindus, Pakistan accused India of “discrimination towards minorities" and “eradicating Muslim culture and heritage", without any evidence.
Voicing New Delhi's reply, MEA official spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said that “Pakistan should focus on its own abysmal human rights records, rather than delivering hypocritical homilies.”
“We have seen the reported remarks and reject them with the contempt they deserve. As a country with a deeply stained record of bigotry, repression and systemic mistreatment of its minorities, Pakistan has no moral standing to lecture others,” Jaiswal remarked during the weekly briefing.
Referring to the flag-hoisting ceremony on Tuesday and the temple's consecration in January 2024, Islamabad had claimed there was a pattern of pressure on religious minorities in India, and sought to draw the attention of the international community and the United Nations towards these events.
It also called on the Indian government to "uphold the rights of religious minorities". India, however, rubbished and lambasted Pakistan's statement outright, calling it a prime example of hypocrisy and bigotry.
The flag-hoisting ceremony marked the completion of the Ram Mandir’s construction after it was unveiled on January 2024. The right-angled triangular flag, measuring 10 feet in height and 20 feet in length, bears the image of a radiant Sun symbolising the brilliance and valour of Lord Rama, as per an official statement.
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