Pakistan’s Hindu Lawmaker Urged to Stop Anti-Hindu Hate in the country.

When Pakistan’s Hindu Politician Urged Lawmakers to Stop Anti-Hindu Hate, Saying Anti-India Stance Should Not Be Anti-Hindu.

Upendra Bharti | HENB | New Delhi | Sept 20, 2026::  “Don’t be anti-Hindu while hating India”: this was the message given by Mahesh Kumar Hasija, one of the few Hindu lawmakers in Pakistan. While continuing with his anti-India stance, he simultaneously drew a distinction between Hinduism and the Hindutva ideology.

Hasija is a Member of the Provincial Assembly (MPA) of Sindh. In his May 16, 2026, address to the Pakistan Parliament on the occasion of Youm-e-Tashakur—a national day of gratitude to commemorate the success of two military conflicts between India and Pakistan—the Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader said, “Whenever they say anything anti-India, keep it to the state and don’t involve Hinduism in that,” further pointing out that there are more Muslims in India than in Pakistan.

In his address, he also highlighted how Karachi Bakery in India was vandalized after the attack because its name resembled that of the Pakistani city. On the other hand, Pakistan, he claimed, had never done anything to shops with Indian place names, such as The Bombay Bakery and Delhi Chat. He also claimed that Pakistan had never harmed any temples or shops.

However, the data presents a different picture. After Independence, according to census data cited in various accounts, West Pakistan had roughly 15% of its population identified as Hindu, a proportion that subsequently changed drastically. The Hindu population in Pakistan is now estimated at between 1.6% and 2.2%, amounting to around 4 to 5 million people.

But the Hindu lawmaker in the Sindh Assembly did not clarify the alleged causes behind such a dramatic decline in the Hindu population—from around 15% in 1946 to less than 2% today—in Pakistan.

Mahesh Kumar claimed that the concept of Hindutva, which he attributed to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and the RSS (Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh), is not based on Hinduism. He said he wanted to make the distinction clear to everyone: “Hinduism talks about devotion, Karma, inclusivity. However, the Hindutva of RSS talks about exclusivity and focuses especially on a particular sect and ideology.”

Hasija said that people need to understand the difference and mention the two separately. He further explained his position by giving examples from other religions. He pointed out that Islam has no connection to extremism, contrary to what some people believe, and that Judaism has no connection to Zionism. Similarly, he argued, Hindutva and Hinduism are different. He said, “The Hinduism which Lord Ram created was not this.”

Hasija added that an RSS worker killed Gandhi in the past and that another RSS worker is now killing the anti-violence principles associated with Gandhi. According to him, India has become “Modi-fied” and extremist, and the type of radicalization that Pakistan experienced in the 1980s is what India is becoming now. He acknowledged that Pakistan is still suffering from the radicalization of that period and claimed that India would also suffer because of it.

Hasija then praised Pakistan’s efforts during the war, saying that the country had handled the conflict with India effectively and had become an example for the world. He also made allegations against Indian authorities, saying, “I want to request the Indian people to ask their government how RAW failed in Pahalgam. How did the terrorists penetrate 100 km inside the nation? And how did the security lapse? The media is not asking these questions.”

Hasija then targeted the Indian media, claiming that it had created a “circus” against Pakistan. He said Indian people should ask these questions of both the media and their government: “We’ll see Pakistan later; first, you tell us where were you? In that region where the most military is present, how did they come inside and kill 26 people in Pahalgam, and why are they never caught?”

He then praised Pakistan, pointing out that while “Karachi Bakeries” were demolished in India, he claimed there had been no similar incidents in Pakistan. He said Pakistan had given places to its minorities and treated them equally, adding that anyone could visit their temples and other places of worship.

He said, “India earlier used to talk about inclusivity and coexistence, but Pakistan has proved it in international forums.” He further claimed that YouTube channels portraying a softer image of Pakistan were being banned so that people would see only an extremist image of the country.

Although Hasija’s anti-India remarks should be viewed in the context of his position as a Pakistani lawmaker, his appeal to his peers to respect Hinduism remains relevant. Amid reports concerning the declining proportion of Hindus and allegations of persecution of minorities in Pakistan, the Hindu politician’s demand for separating political disputes from religious identity has attracted attention.

Finally, Hasija’s statement highlights concerns surrounding the treatment of Hindu minorities in Pakistan, while critics may argue that it does not sufficiently address Islamist activism and allegations of attacks against minorities in the country. His remarks also did not address long-standing allegations against Pakistan for supporting jihadist groups involved in attacks against India, an issue that remains a major point of contention in India-Pakistan relations.
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_Agency Inputs.