‘Indian minorities are … hostages’: Asaduddin Owaisi and Kiren Rijiju engage in verbal spat over minority welfare issue

NEW DELHI: All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) chief Asaduddin Owaisi on Monday criticised Union Minister Kiren Rijiju in response to a social media post about the Union Government’s welfare schemes for minorities in India.

In a post on X, Owaisi said that minorities in India have been reduced to “hostages” rather than even “second-class” citizens. He also questioned Prime Minister Narendra Modi, asking whether it is an “honour” to be the focus of his “hate speeches”.
https://x.com/asadowaisi/status/1942151186246742036

“Is it an ‘honour’ to be the target of hate speeches from no less than the Prime Minister of India? India’s minorities are not even second-class citizens anymore. We are hostages”, Asaduddin Owaisi said in his ‘X’ post.

Responding to Owaisi, Union Minister Kiren Rijiju stated that minorities in India do not migrate to other countries, unlike minorities from neighbouring nations who choose to come to India. He said the Prime Minister’s welfare schemes are for everyone, including minorities.

“Ok… How come Minorities from our neighbouring countries prefer to come to India & our Minorities don’t migrate? Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s welfare schemes are for all. The schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs provide additional benefits to the Minorities”, Rijiju wrote on X.
Owaisi, in another post on Monday, replied that according to Rijiju, if minorities in India do not migrate, it means they are “happy”.

You are a Minister of the Indian Republic, not a monarch. @KirenRijiju You hold a constitutional post, not a throne. Minority rights are fundamental rights, not charity.

Is it a “benefit” to be called Pakistani, Bangladeshi, jihadi, or Rohingya every single day? Is it… https://t.co/G1dgmvj6Gl

— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 7, 2025

He also said that Indian minorities do not have a history of “fleeing”. Referring to past events, Owaisi said that minorities stayed in India during the British era and did not run away even during the Partition.

“According to Hon’ble Minister Against Minorities, if we don’t migrate, it means we are happy. We are not in the habit of fleeing: we did not run away from the British, we did not run away during partition, and we did not run away because of Jammu, Nellie, Gujarat, Moradabad, Delhi, etc, massacres.

Our history is proof that we neither collaborate with our oppressors nor do we hide from them. We know how to fight for our democratic rights, and we will inshallah. Stop comparing our great nation with failed states like Pakistan, Bangladesh, Myanmar, Nepal & Sri Lanka. Jai Hind, Jai Samvidhan! Thank you for your attention in this matter!”, Owaisi’s X post added. (ANI)