India, Nov. 26 -- India on Wednesday issued a sharp rebuttal to Pakistan's criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi hoisting a saffron flag at the newly built Ram Temple in Ayodhya, calling Islamabad's comments "hypocritical" and "devoid of moral standing."

External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said India "rejects with contempt" Pakistan's remarks, adding that a country with a "deeply stained record of bigotry, repression, and systemic mistreatment of its minorities" is in no position to lecture others.

Pakistan had protested the raising of the saffron flag, describing it as an attempt to heighten pressure on India's minority communities and erase Muslim heritage.

The dispute over the site ended in 2019 when the Supre...