Even Indira Gandhi couldn’t change fanatic mindset of Pakistan: S Jaishankar in Lok Sabha over attacks on Hindus

Union External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Friday slammed Pakistan for incidents involving attacks on minorities and said that the country cannot change the "fanatical and bigoted mindset" of a neighbour.

The minister told Parliament that even former Prime Minister and Congress leader Indira Gandhi couldn't succeed in changing Pakistan's mindset. Jaishankar, while speaking in the Lok Sabha on Friday, said New Delhi is tracking "very closely" the treatment of minorities in Pakistan and making its position “well known.”

Replying to a supplementary query during the Question Hour, Jaishankar pointed to 10 incidents involving attacks on Hindus in Pakistan in February. Seven of these incidents related to abduction and forced conversion, two other cases related to abduction, and one in which there was "police action" against students celebrating Holi, the external affairs minister said.

'Atrocities against Sikhs in Pakistan'

He informed the House that there were also three cases related to atrocities against members of the Sikh community. In one case, a Sikh family was attacked; in another case, a Sikh family was threatened for reopening an old Gurdwara, and yet another case involved the abduction and conversion of a girl from the Sikh community, the minister said.

He added that two other cases involved members of the Ahmadiyya community and another case in which a Christian person of unstable mind was charged with blasphemy.

Jaishankar said India takes up such cases at the international level also.

'2,400 incidents of attacks on minorities in Bangladesh'

"Like in Pakistan, we track the welfare and well-being of minorities in Bangladesh as well ... In 2024, we had 2,400 incidents relating to attacks on minorities and in 2025, 72 incidents ... I have taken it up with my counterpart there. The foreign secretary also took it up when he visited Bangladesh. This continues to be a matter of concern for our government," Jaishankar said, responding to another supplementary question.

Responding to a query on whether India plans "tough action" on the lines of earlier prime minister Indira Gandhi's stance against Pakistan, Jaishankar said New Delhi is making its position "well known" but "we as a government and a country cannot change the fanatical and bigoted mindset of a neighbour."

"Even Indira Gandhi could not do it," he observed.

(With PTI inputs)