India´s new prime minister has dismissed Al-Qaeda´s plan to set up a South Asia branch, saying it was “delusional” to think the country´s Muslim minority would follow orders to wage jihad in the region.
“They are doing injustice towards the Muslims of our country,” Narendra Modi said in an interview with CNN today.
“If anyone thinks Indian Muslims will dance to their tune, they are delusional. Indian Muslims will live for India, they will die for India — they will not want anything bad for India.”
It was Modi´s first reaction to Al-Qaeda chief Ayman al-Zawahiri´s announcement this month that the group would set up a new operation to take the fight to India, which has a large but traditionally moderate Muslim population, as well as Myanmar and Bangladesh.