New Delhi, (UNI) Union Minister for Minority Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday said here that some people are giving communal colour to decisions on dress code and discipline as a part of their conspiracy to defame India’s inclusive culture and commitment.
The Minister made these remarks amid the ongoing controversy over Hijab in Karnataka. Rebutting the Pakistan foreign minister’s comments over the issue, Naqvi said, Pakistan is a jungle of crime and cruelty on minorities, and they are preaching India on tolerance and secularism.
“The reality is that the socio-educational-religious rights of minorities are being trampled brazenly in Pakistan,” he added.
Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said it is a grave violation of fundamental human rights. “Depriving Muslim girls of education is a grave violation of fundamental human rights. The Minister said that equal rights, dignity and prosperity of the minorities including Muslims is a part of India’s commitment to tolerance, harmony and inclusivity.
“There were 1288 temples in Pakistan before independence, only 31 are left now. Minorities’ population in Pakistan, which was about 23 per cent of the total population during the Partition, has now been reduced to even below 3 per cent,” he alleged.
He added that out of every 10 Muslims living in the world, one Muslim lives in India and there are more than 3 lakh active mosques in India, there is an equal number of other places of worship of Muslim community.
“There are more than 50 thousand Madrasas and more than 50 thousand minority educational institutions. Besides, Minority communities are equally being benefited from all other institutions and facilities in the country” he said. UNI
