Union Minister for Minority Affairs Najma Heptulla said on Tuesday that there have been no attacks on religious minorities in the last one year of BJP-led NDA rule.
“No one has attacked the minorities. No riots took place anywhere. Only verbal attacks were taking place, but that has stopped now,” Ms. Heptulla told media persons in Srinagar.
Asked about attacks on churches and riots in Delhi in October last year, the Minister said: “I live in Delhi and I am not aware of any such incidents there.”
She blamed the former UPA government for failing the Muslims as it was during its regime that a number of innocent Muslims were arrested and kept behind bars for years.
“These people that the Supreme Court is now acquitting, calling them innocent, after eight or 10 years of imprisonment, [were arrested when] the BJP government was not there. The UPA used to swear by the minorities and claim that they were the flag-bearers of Muslims. It was they who arrested Muslims and put them in jails,” Ms. Heptulla said.
She also criticised the Western media for suggesting in various publications that the religious minorities in India were being discriminated against.
“In one year, the Prime Minister has spoken four times about the rights of the minorities. Tell me how many times did the former Prime Minister say something about the minorities,” she asked.
Asked about the law and order issues, Ms. Heptullah said: “My job, let me clarify, is to talk about the development and progress of the minorities, not law and order.” Ms. Hepullah distanced herself from any attacks on religious minorities in non-BJP government States saying that the federal structure stopped them from interfering.
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