Headlines
Communalism a problem, but accusations won't help: Naqvi
New Delhi, March 2
Admitting that communalism
is a problem faced by the nation, Minister of State for Parliamentary
Affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday, however, said accusations will
not solve it.
"Several members raised the issue of communalism.
These issues are there, communalism is there, casteism is there,
untouchability was there... But to fight these problems, accusation and
counter accusation will not help. We must isolate these powers, we must
not glorify them," Naqvi said while participating in a discussion in the
Rajya Sabha on the motion of thanks to President Pranab Mukherjee's
address to both houses of parliament.
"...when I say this, I am saying this in a non-political manner," he said.
The minister added that the Congress was not to be thanked for the fact that India is a secular nation.
"...we
do not give the credit to Congress... the people of this country
decided this nation will be secular. This country has faced the pain of
communalism, fragmentation of society and riots for six decades. Our
country is secular not because of anyone, but because people of this
country have chosen secularism," he said.
He also said that the majority community is to be thanked for secularism being deep rooted.
"The
roots of secularism are strong because the majority community has
strengthened it. Minorities have not planted secularism, the majority
guaranteed safety of minority. Whatever government comes, this
secularism cannot be affected," he said.
"The people of this country will never like Taliban mentality and religious intolerance".
The
minister said the authors of the country's constitution were
visionaries because they chose to make India a secular nation even when
neighbouring Pakistan chose to be an Islamic nation.
"We salute
the authors of our constitution for their vision that at a time when the
neighbouring country declared itself an Islamic nation, the authors of
our constitution made this country secular... That (Pakistan) is an
Islamic nation where children are being killed, mosques are being blown
up and terrorism is cultivated," he said.
He added that his government and Prime Minister Narendra Modi were dedicated to maintaining communal harmony in the nation.
"There
are discussions on comments outside in this house. Everyone wants that
the social fabric remains intact. The prime minister and our government
is very positive and clear about this. The prime minister has said in
this house as well that we will not let anyone destroy communal
harmony," he added.