Govt to break silence on persecution of Hindus in Pak

Home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday promised to respond to the anguish of MPs about the plight of the Hindu minority community in Pakistan and New Delhi's approach towards them when they come to India.

Home minister P Chidambaram on Wednesday promised to respond to the anguish of MPs about the plight of the Hindu minority community in Pakistan and New Delhi's approach towards them when they come to India.

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The home minister’s assurance came after BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi raised their plight in the Lok Sabha, saying New Delhi could not turn a blind eye to violations of human rights in the neighbourhood on grounds that the atrocities were "internal matters of Pakistan.

Chidambaram said the anguish of the MPs “requires a detailed statement after consulting the Prime Minister and the external affairs minister”.

Incidentally, the government had in March told Rajya Sabha MP Avinash Rai Khanna — who has been raising the issue in and outside Parliament — that New Delhi did take up reports of persecution with Islamabad and was told it was "fully cognisant of the situation" and looked after all citizens, particularly the minorities.