New Delhi, July 19 -- Union Minister Kiren Rijiju on Friday asserted that India, as a secular democracy, is one of the safest countries for minorities. He credited the Hindu majority for ensuring absolute freedom and protection for all communities, dismissing claims that minorities face persecution in the country.

In an interview, the Minority Affairs Minister criticized what he called a "relentless campaign" by the "Left ecosystem backed by the Congress party" that portrays minorities as "tortured, butchered, lynched, and killed." He called such narratives harmful to India's unity and progress.

Rijiju pointed out that minorities from neighboring countries like Tibet, Myanmar, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Pakistan, and Afghanistan seek refuge...