NDA regime committed to empowering minorities sans appeasement: Naqvi

Gandhinagar, Aug 19 (IANS) Union Minority Affairs Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance Government treated every section of the society equally and was committed to minorities' empowerment with dignity but "without appeasement".

Addressing a cheque distribution programme of Gujarat Minorities Development Finance Corporation here, he said: "Minorities, Dalits, farmers, women and every other section of the country have played an equal role in nation building."

"There is no place for any kind of discrimination against any religion, caste and community in this agenda. India's uniqueness is its unity in diversity, 'Sarva Dharm Sadbhav'. Secularism is in the DNA of India," he said, adding that "some elements want to disturb this fabric".

"We all need to come together to defeat such elements. The Modi government will not allow any destructive agenda to dominate our developmental narrative.

"Empowerment without appeasement, inclusive growth and antyodaya (commitment to take benefits of development to the last person of the society) is our agenda," he said.

Naqvi urged people to be cautious of hostile forces trying to disturb an atmosphere of trust and development.

"We have to remain cautious against these elements. Every section/community of the country is feeling a sense of trust and development under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi," he said, claiming these forces were trying to disturb the atmosphere by creating a "fabricated atmosphere of insecurity".

"Like all others, minorities are safe and secure in India," he said, accusing certain opposition parties and their allies of trying to give a "communal colour to criminal incidents" but "fail to understand that their acts will only provide a cover for persons involved in such incidents".

Saying that India was much ahead of other democratic countries in ensuring freedom of expression to its people, Naqvi however cautioned that in the name of such freedom, one should not do anything that helps elements inimical to national interest.

He said those unable to digest the developmental works carried out by the Modi government had become disappointed and desperate since they failed to find even a single logical issue against it.

"In their desperation, they are misusing religion as well as community and caste issues for narrow political interests. Earlier, these people raised the issue of so-called intolerance and launched 'award wapsi' (return of awards) campaign. Now, they are trying to disturb peace through political propaganda by raising the baseless issue of a sense of insecurity among members of a particular community," Naqvi added.