Union Minorities Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla today dismissed allegations that attacks on minorities have increased since NDA came to power even as she stopped short of criticising the Muslim Personal Law Board over its controversial 'deen aur dastur' bachao (save religion and constitution) campaign.
"Attacks have not increased. No communal riots have taken place," she told reporters here when asked about the allegations of some minority groups that attacks on minorities have risen after the NDA assumed office.
When told that the All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) has started a campaign to "save religion and save Constitution" over the alleged rise in such attacks, she said the Board can do its work while the government would do its own.
"They (Board) can do what they want to do. We don't do anything secretly. We give it in writing and show it you (media) that we have done this. I will be happy if Personal Law Board does something that is good for Muslims," she said.
Replying to a query, Heptulla said the Waqf Bill has been just received from a parliamentary committee (which looked into it) and it would be introduced in Parliament soon.
The previous government had referred the Bill, meant for protection of Waqf properties, to the committee, she said.
Observing that six lakh acres of Waqf land is there in the country, she said the minority development programmes can be completed if that land is developed. Efforts were on in that direction.
Noting that the Sachar committee had estimated that an annual income of Rs 12,000 crore would accrue if the Waqf property is developed, she said the backwardness can be removed if the estimated income is realised.
She said the government has signed area-specific MoUs or agreements in some states for welfare of minorities. An MoU was signed in Tamil Nadu with leading actor Kamal Haasan's institution.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi has doubled the corpus of the Minorities Finance Corporation from Rs 1,500 crore to Rs 3,000 crore, Heptulla said.
The previous UPA government did not enhance the corpus though a demand was made to the effect, she said.
Alleging that real prosperity and welfare of minorities has not been addressed in Congress rule, Heptulla said the NDA government is working on Prime Minister Narendra Modi's aim of ensuring development of all sections of society.
She cited the example of MANAS and 'Nayee Manzil' schemes being implemented for the purpose.
Reportedly, the All India Muslim Personal Law Board earlier this month had said that it is going to launch its nation-wide campaign against imposition of Yoga, Surya Namaskar, Vande Mataram, and others on people who do not share the practices.
Stating the practices finds roots in Vedic scriptures and are Brahmanical, members of the board had said that the campaign would be launched in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh.
Wakf income can solve all problems of minorities: Heptulla
Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptulla on Monday said the income generated from Wakf properties across the country can help solve all problems faced by the minorities regarding their development.
She told media persons here that an annual income of Rs.12,000 crore as estimated by the Sachar Committee in its 2006 report will ensure implementation of the schemes without imposing a burden on the government.
She said the Sachar Committee in its report stated that Wakf property is spread over six lakh acres across the country.
As many Wakf properties were encroached, a bill to remove the encroachemnts and develop them is pending in parliament.
Heptulla exuded confidence that the bill will be passed in the winter session or the budget session.
"I will speak to M. Venkaiah Naidu (parliamentary affairs minister) to list the bill in the coming session. If not this session, the bill will definitely be passed in the budget session," she said.
She said the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Social Justice and Empowerment, to which the bill was referred, recently gave its report.
To deal with the problem of encroachments firmly, the panel recommended increasing imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of up to Rs.1 lakh for encroachers on Wakf property.
She said the department was implementing various schemes for the development of minorities in tune with Prime Minister Narendra Modi's slogan of 'sab ka saath, sab ka vikas'.
While her ministry was working for all six minority communities, the focus was on Muslims as they are the largest in number and most backward, she said.
She pointed out that the Sachar Committee in its report said the condition of Muslims was worse than that of Dalits.
Targetting the Congress party, she said the Muslims were worst victims of the excesses committed by the party.
She denied that attacks on minorities have increased since the BJP-led NDA came to power last year. "There has not been a single attack or a riot. This is all in your mind," she said in reply to a query.
Published 21 September 2015, 10:36 IST