Former Mumbai police commissioner Julio Ribeiro’s recent remarks on the condition of minorities in India, made at a book launch event in Goa recently, has prompted the ruling BJP to accuse the retired IPS officer of “deep political bias”.
On Wednesday, BJP’s state unit released a statement expressing “profound disappointment and concern” over the statement.
At an event on Tuesday, Ribeiro had said, “Hindus and Christians in Pakistan are living in fear as second-class citizens… that may happen here (in India). This is what I fear.”
Referring to Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s recent interaction with members of the Christian community in Delhi on Christmas, Ribeiro said he was “trying to woo a big Christian community in Kerala”.
“One of the bishops has fallen for it. I feel because one has fallen, others perhaps may also fall. Let’s see what he (Modi) is trying to do. Even among our friends, they have started understanding that many of the things he said were only for votes. It is hoped that his Christmas message is probably a change of heart. If it is, it will be a good thing. But I doubt it, since the whole intention is to have a saffronised Pakistan,” Ribeiro had said.
Giriraj Pai Vernekar, the Goa BJP spokesperson, said, “Ribeiro’s comparisons of Bharat with Pakistan are not only unfounded but deeply offensive to the ethos and achievements of our great nation… Using words like ‘saffronised Pakistan’ shows his deep hatred and frustration at having a government in power that possibly does not conform to his ideology. But, to demean the country in an attempt to belittle the government is unbecoming of a former cop.”
Ribeiro did not respond to calls and messages seeking a comment.
© The Indian Express Pvt Ltd
First uploaded on: 27-12-2023 at 21:44 IST