India has firmly dismissed Pakistan's accusations regarding minority rights in India, asserting that Islamabad's own record on the issue "speaks for itself". The Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) responded to comments made by a spokesperson for Pakistan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, labeling them as unfounded and emphasizing Pakistan's "abysmal record".

The MEA's official spokesperson, Randhir Jaiswal, addressed media queries on Monday, rejecting the remarks made by Pakistani foreign ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi. Jaiswal stated that India had taken note of Andrabi's comments but dismissed them as baseless.

"We reject the reported remarks from a country whose abysmal record on this front speaks for itself," the MEA stated. The ministry further emphasized that Pakistan's "horrific and systemic victimisation of minorities of various faiths is a well established fact". The MEA asserted that "no amount of finger pointing will obfuscate it".

The Indian response was triggered by Andrabi's appeal to the international community to address incidents "targeting religious minorities" in India, which he said included "Christmas-related vandalism and attacks on Muslims". Andrabi also highlighted "state-backed campaigns targeting Muslims, including demolitions of homes and repeated lynching cases," citing the case of Muhammad Akhlaq, where he alleged authorities shielded the perpetrators.

Reports of pre-Christmas vandalism in various parts of India, including Kerala, Madhya Pradesh, and Assam, preceded the statement. An unidentified group also reportedly vandalized a mall in Raipur, Chhattisgarh, during a shutdown on December 24th.

India has previously dismissed Pakistan's concerns regarding the country's internal affairs. Last month, Pakistan objected to the flag-hosting ceremony at the Ram temple, which included Prime Minister Narendra Modi's participation. The MEA dismissed these objections as politically motivated and unacceptable, asserting that Pakistan had no right to comment on India's internal matters.

Pakistan's history regarding minority rights includes decades of violence, systemic discrimination, and social exclusion. Religious communities in Pakistan often face mob attacks, communal unrest, restrictive laws, and forced religious conversions. The Ahmadi community, in particular, has faced prolonged persecution.