Minority issue: No place for imaginary apprehensions, says PM Modi

Against the backdrop of criticism over minority issues, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has asserted that his government "will not tolerate or accept" any discrimination based on caste, creed and religion and that there was no place for "imaginary apprehensions" on rights of minorities.

The Prime Minister also came out strongly against controversial remarks made by some BJP leaders, saying, "we have immediately negated" wherever an individual view has been expressed regarding a particular minority religion.

In an interview to Time magazine at his official residence in Delhi, he was asked about remarks by some BJP leaders about minorities that have raised concerns among Muslim, Christians and some others about the future of practising their faith in India.

"My government will not tolerate or accept any discrimination based on caste, creed, and religion. So, there is no place for imaginary apprehensions with regard to the rights of the minorities in India," he said.

"And wherever an individual view might have been expressed with regard to a particular minority religion, we have immediately negated that. So far as the BJP and my government are concerned... there is only one holy book of reference, which is the Constitution of India," he said. The Modi government has been under attack over Hinduvta outfit campaigns like "ghar wapsi", "love-jihad" and recent vandalisation of churches in Delhi and some other towns.

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