Abohar, March 2 : Ahead of the general elections in India, Radio Pakistan is trying to provoke communal dissentions, particularly in Punjab, by propagating that minorities are not being given their rights in India. Its programmes seem to be fondly looking at the brief success they had in fomenting dissentions two decades ago by provoking proxy war and inciting Sikhs.

The Punabi Durbar programme has been trying to conduct propangada that minorities suffer from many handicaps in the India, particularly in Punjab and they have little to hope from the coming elections.

Listening to its recent bulletin, one gets the feeling that that the producers of the programme do not appreciate the fact that minorities are being offered high positions in India, both as constitutional positions and political life of the country.

The Punjabi Durbar programme of Radio Pakistan has based its campaign on literature allegedly published by the Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh. It claims that elements in India are warning minorities including Sikhs, Muslims, Christians and Jains to either embrace Hinduism or leave the country!

Listeners in border areas of Punjab point out that Pakistan Radio broadcasters need to remember that in a country where a Muslim can become the President, a Sikh can become the Prime Minister, and a Christian can become the Defense Minister, no single organization can dictate terms to others.

People in Punjab point out that Hinduism doesn’t support religious conversions.

“India belongs to people of all religions. Hindu, Sikh, Muslim and Christians live happily together with the feeling of brotherhood and receive same respect,” said Maulvi Sarauddin of Haji Ratan Dargah.

“Firstly, Zakir Hussain had been the President of India and recently Dr. Kalam was the President of India. Dr. Hamid Ansari is the Vice President of India and Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi is the National Vice President of Bharitya Janta Party (BJP). Thousands of such examples can be mentioned. Pakistan is commenting on India because it is a financially and politically weak country,” said Chiranji Lal Garg, Ex Cabinet Minister, Punjab.

Pakistan, which is an Islamic State, is yet to learn that India is a secular country where practicing one’s religion is a fundamental right accorded to every citizen of the country under the Constitution of India.

No one in the country can prevent anyone, irrespective of one’s religious faith, caste or community, to cherish life with full freedom and occupy any position under the government set up.

About 70 crore people belonging to different religions and communities will exercise their voting rights in April and choose their representatives in the parliamentary elections. The elected persons’ primary duty is to look after the welfare of their people in any eventuality. (ANI)