India on Thursday sharply rejected Pakistan’s criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s flag hoisting ceremony at the Ram temple in Ayodhya, calling Islamabad’s comments “hypocritical” and devoid of credibility. Responding to media queries during a press briefing in New Delhi, MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Pakistan had “no moral standing” to comment on India’s internal matters.
“We have seen the reported remarks and reject them with the contempt they deserve,” Jaiswal said. “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. Rather than delivering hypocritical homilies, Pakistan would do better to turn its gaze inwards and focus on its own abysmal human-rights record.”
His remarks came after Pakistan protested PM Modi’s hoisting of a 2-kg saffron flag atop the 161-foot peak of the Ram temple on Tuesday during the Abhijit Muhurat. Pakistan’s Foreign Office claimed the act represented rising pressure on religious minorities in India and an attempt to “erase Muslim heritage”. It reiterated its long-standing position that the Ram temple stands where the centuries-old Babri Masjid once existed before its demolition in 1992.
Islamabad further alleged that Muslims in India face “systematic discrimination” and claimed that “many historical mosques are under threat”. It urged the United Nations and global organisations to intervene to protect minority rights.
Pakistan had similarly condemned the temple’s consecration ceremony in January 2024, calling it an outcome of the Babri Masjid’s demolition.
