"I totally agree that in a democratic country like us, nobody should interfere with anybody else's religious beliefs and eating habits but at the same time being sensible to another person's religion," Union Food Processing Minister Harsimrat Kaur Badal said.
Speaking at the 'National Strategy Day on India' organised by the World Economic Forum (WEF)/and industry body CII here, the minister blamed 'certain forces' for not being able to see the progress of India and digest the work the government is doing.
Reacting to criticism of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's silence amid writers and artists speaking out against instances of rising intolerance, she said: "I don't understand why the Prime Minister of a country should speak when someone demands it."
On allegations that the government is not pulling up BJP leaders, who are making divisive comments, Badal wondered why it should be done in public to satisfy certain section who "finds fault with everything that is being done".
Responding to Congress' criticism, he said: "During Emergency many people were jailed and in 1984, many (Congress) party members were involved in Sikh massacare... Shaitan Bible bol raha hai aise baat hoti (It is like the devil reading out the Bible).