No more development speed bumps for Muslims under Prime Minister Modi, says Naqvi

Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Saturday said the Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led government during its three years has cleared the way for progress and prosperity of Muslims by “demolishing the speed breaker of appeasement politics”.

During the twelvth Five Year Plan, Maharashtra’s eight minority-concentrated blocks and six minority concentrated towns have been selected for development projects. Four school buildings, 383 additional class rooms, 141 drinking water and sanitation facilities, 16 hostels, two ITIs, 25 health centres and 82 anganwadis have been approved.

“For the last several decades, the so-called political champions of secularism were engaging in politics of appeasement instead of empowering the Muslims,” Naqvi said during a co-ordination meeting between the Union ministry of Minority Affairs and the Ministry of Minority Development of Maharashtra.

“Appeasement politics due to narrow self-interests was the biggest enemy of inclusive growth of minorities. The Modi government in the last three years has created an atmosphere of trust and development among all sections of society by adopting empowerment without appeasement,” the Union minister of state for Minority Affairs said.

During the meeting, Naqvi said 2017-18 will be celebrated as the year of ‘Tahreeke Taleem’, a campaign for education. “It will be launched on October 15, on the birthday of former President Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam. It will be started from 100 districts

across the country,” he said.

He further said on the occasion of Pt Deen Dayal Upadhyay centenary year, the Centre will organise ‘Ustaad Samman Samagam’ to honour master artisans belonging to minority communities. The event will be held in various places of the country including Mumbai, he added.

Various projects under the Multi-sectoral Development Programme (MsDP) like roads, drinking water and sanitation facilities, schools, anganwadi and primary health centres among others were discussed at the meeting with minister for minority affairs Vinod Tawde.