Oppn whipping up ‘imaginary fear’ of BJP among minorities: Naqvi

LUCKNOW: Union minister for minority affairs Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi connected ‘virtually’ with members of minority cell of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) on Monday.

Taking a veiled swipe at opposition parties for whipping up ‘imaginary fear’ of BJP among the minorities; Naqvi listed ‘Hunar Haat’ – a platform to identify and provide jobs to skilled persons – among the Narendra Modi government’s initiative.

“Through this nearly 5 lakh skilled artisans have been provided employment in last 5 years,” Naqvi claimed.

He claimed that along with ‘Hunar Haat’ over the past few years more than 10 lakh minorities have either found employment or been introduced to employment generating schemes like Ustaad and Gareeb Nawaaz schemes.

“Nearly 50 per cent beneficiaries have been girls,” he claimed.

Naqvi said after being trained through skill development programmes thousands of youths from the minority community were engaged in helping/assisting those affected by COVID-19.

After Naqvi’s address, the BJP minority cell has decided to connect with the community. “We are often labeled as anti-Muslim. But, tell me from abolishing triple talaq to ensuring education and employment for the community, tell me has any party done more for the community. Yet, the narrative continues to be that we are anti-Muslim. We will counter it,” a BJP minority leader said.

Naqvi’s virtual connect initiative with cadres is part of series of virtual ‘Jan samvaad’ (people connect) campaigns that the BJP has organised to mark first year of Modi 2.0.

Another union minister Sadhvi Niranjan Jyoti interacted with cadres of the party’s OBC cell in Gautam Buddha Nagar.

“After interactions with our leaders the cadres would take the message to the people,” BJP leaders said.

They said that besides popularising schemes and initiatives among the people, the BJP have also been playing up, what its leaders claim the proactive action by the government to contain the spread of COVID-19.