Rijiju Vs Owaisi On Minority Rights
A sharp exchange of words has erupted between Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and AIMIM chief-Member of Parliament Asaduddin Owaisi over the question of minority rights and benefits in India. The row began after Rijiju, in an interview with The Indian Express, claimed that minorities in India receive more benefits than the majority community, a statement he reiterated in a social media post.
“INDIA is the only country where the minorities get more benefits and protections than the majority community!” Rijiju, the first Buddhist to helm the minority affairs ministry, wrote, sharing his interview.
In the interview, the Minister stated: “In the last 11 years, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government has championed the principle of ‘Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas, Sabka Vishwas, Sabka Prayas’.” He further explained that his ministry operates on the mantra of ‘bhagidari se bhagyodaya’ (participation to good fortune), with a focus on “education, skilling, entrepreneurship, and inclusion.”
Rijiju stressed, “The main point we have to understand is that minority communities are receiving more funds and support from the government than the majority community, the Hindus. Whatever the Hindus get, the minorities also do. But what the minorities get, the Hindus don’t.”
According to Hon’ble Minister Against Minorities, if we don’t migrate it means we are happy. Actually, 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,… https://t.co/tli4jJNEfk
— Asaduddin Owaisi (@asadowaisi) July 7, 2025
This prompted a scathing rebuttal from Asaduddin Owaisi, who accused the Minister of speaking like a monarch rather than a constitutional office bearer. “You are a Minister of the Indian Republic, not a monarch. You hold a constitutional post, not a throne. Minority rights are fundamental rights, not charity,” Owaisi said. Owaisi has been criticising the minister since the introduction of Waqf Amendment Bill that allowed non-Muslims in the bodies affilliated with Waqf properties.
He continued, “Is it a ‘benefit’ to be called Pakistani, Bangladeshi, jihadi, or Rohingya every single day? Is it ‘protection’ to be lynched?” Listing incidents of alleged discrimination and violence against Muslims, Owaisi added, “India’s minorities are not even second-class citizens anymore. We are hostages.”
The AIMIM leader further accused the government of dismantling schemes beneficial to Muslims. “You discontinued the Maulana Azad National Fellowship. You defunded the pre-matric scholarship. You limited the post-matric and merit-cum-means scholarships — all because they benefited Muslim students,” he alleged.
Owaisi also pointed to declining Muslim representation in higher education and worsening economic indicators, saying, “Indian Muslims are the only group whose children are now worse off than their parents or grandparents. Intergenerational mobility has reversed.”
In response to the criticism, Rijiju wrote: “How come minorities from our neighbouring countries prefer to come to India & our minorities don’t migrate? Prime Minister Modi’s welfare schemes are for all. The schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs provide additional benefits to the minorities.”
This statement invited yet another retort from Owaisi, who said, “According to Hon’ble Minister Against Minorities, if we don’t migrate it means we are happy. Actually, 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.”
Owaisi concluded emphatically, “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!”
