Sushma Swaraj Has A Twitter Spat With Pak Minister Over Minorities

Foreign minister Sushma Swaraj's tweet regarding the alleged abduction and conversion of two Hindu girls in Pakistan, has drawn a sharp response from its minister Fawad Hussain. The matter, Mr Hussain said, was an "internal issue" of Pakistan. Ms Swaraj immediately shot back that her tweet, asking the Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad for a report, was making the Pakistan minister "jittery".

Last year, Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan had taken a swipe at India after actor Naseeruddin Shah's comment on mob violence over cow vigilantism. Mr Khan had said he would show India "how to treat minorities".

Over the last month, there has been a huge face-off between New Delhi and Islamabad over Jaish-e Mohammad suicide bombing in Jammu ad Kashmir's Pulwama that killed 40 CRPF personnel. Days later, Indian Air Force held air strikes on a Jaish-e Mohammad camp in Pakistan's Balakot, which was followed by an aerial dogfight.

Today, tagging a media report on the alleged abduction, Ms Swaraj tweeted: "I have asked Indian High Commissioner in Pakistan to send a report on this. @IndiainPakistan. Two Hindu girls abducted on Holi eve in Pakistan's Sindh".

Fawad Hussain, the information minister in the government of Imran Khan, tweeted:

Mam its Pakistin internal issue and rest assure its not Modi's India where minorities are subjugated its Imran Khan's Naya Pak where white color of our flag is equally dearer to us.I hope you ll act with same diligence when it comes to rights of Indian Minorities https://t.co/MQC1AnnmGR

- Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 24, 2019

Ms Swaraj responded:

Mr.Minister @fawadchaudhry - I only asked for a report from Indian High Commissioner in Islamabad about the kidnapping and forced conversion of two minor Hindu girls to Islam. This was enough to make you jittery. This only shows your guilty conscience. @IndiainPakistan

- Chowkidar Sushma Swaraj (@SushmaSwaraj) March 24, 2019

That drew another response from the Pakistan Minister:

Madam Minister I am happy that in the Indian administration we have people who care for minority rights in other countries. I sincerely hope that your conscience will allow you to stand up for minorities at home as well. Gujarat and Jammu must weigh heavily on your soul. https://t.co/7D0vMiUI42

— Ch Fawad Hussain (@fawadchaudhry) March 24, 2019

According to a report in the Times of India, two Hindu girls were allegedly abducted and forcibly converted to Islam in Pakistan's Sindh province on the eve of Holi. The report said the local Hindu community had staged protests and demanded action against the perpetrators.

India has repeatedly flagged the plight of minorities in Pakistan, particularly the Hindu community.

In one of its key initiatives, the government has undertaken to provide citizenship to illegal migrants from the minority communities of Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan, who have stayed in India for six years. The Citizenship (Amendment) Bill has been passed in the Lok Sabha, but has been stalled in the Rajya Sabha by the opposition.