'Assam not interested in minority development'

In poll-bound Assam, the ruling Congress and the NDA government in the Centre have locked horns over minority vote bank, which is a decisive factor forming a major share of 126 Assembly constituencies in the state.

Union Minority Affairs Minister Najma Heptullah said on Saturday that the Assam government was not interested in the development of minorities. She also alleged that other north-eastern states have slapdash attitude towards minority welfare issues.

“We decided to hold a review meeting of the ministry in Guwahati so that there is no difficulty of the concerned ministers from the north-eastern states to come and attend the meeting, but except for Assam, none of the other states turned up. But the state of affairs in Assam in terms of minority development is bleak,” Heptullah said at a press conference held in Guwahati on Saturday.

The minister made the remark after none of the concerned ministers of the north-eastern states, except Assam, turned up at a review meeting of minority development initiatives. “The north-eastern states, particularly Assam, often complain that the Centre does not release funds for development activities. I would like to mention here that it was only last week that my ministry sanctioned Rs 128 crore,” Heptullah added. The minister also claimed that there was large chunk of minority population in the northeast, including Muslims, Christians and Buddhists, which is not getting its  due.