Latest news with #UnionMinority
NDTV
07-07-2025
- Politics
- NDTV
"We Aren't In Habit Of Fleeing...": A Owaisi, Kiren Rijiju Spar Over Minorities
New Delhi: On Monday Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju and All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen chief Asaduddin Owaisi sparred on X (formerly Twitter) over the condition of minorities in India, after the former said such communities had more benefits and protection than the majority Hindus. To make his point, Rijiju declared that minority community members don't migrate to neighbouring nations - i.e., Indian Muslims do not leave for Pakistan or Bangladesh, though he didn't mention names - because the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party"provides additional benefits to minorities". "Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji 's welfare schemes are for all. The schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs provide additional benefits to the minorities," he told Owaisi on X. Owaisi hit back swiftly. The AIMIM boss said Indian Muslims chose to stay in India, not because of 'comforts' but because they are courageous enough to continue to fight for their rights. "We don't flee... we fight for our rights. Don't compare India to failed states." "According to the Minister Against Minorities, if we don't migrate it means we are happy. Actually, we are not in the habit of fleeing," Owaisi said, "... we did not run away from the British, we did not run away during Partition... our history is proof we neither collaborate with our oppressors nor hide from them." Rijiju made his original remark in an interview with the Indian Express and then posted an excerpt from that discussion on X; he said that in the past 11 years Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government had "championed the principle of ' sabka saath, sabka vikas...' Ok... How come Minorities from our neighbouring countries prefer to come to India & our Minorities don't migrate? Prime Minister @narendramodi ji's welfare schemes are for all. The schemes of the Ministry of Minority Affairs provide additional benefits to the Minorities. — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) July 7, 2025 This, he claimed, had "ensured that minority communities are active and equal participants in India's growth story". And to underline his point Rijiju said, "...minority communities are receiving more funds and support from the government than the majority community... i.e., the Hindus." The minister's remarks were contested fiercely by Owaisi, who had offered the ruling BJP unstinted support after the Pahalgam terror attack and during the military conflict with Pakistan. The AIMIM chief pointed out that "India's minorities are not even second-class citizens anymore", and referred to the bulldozing of buildings owned by Muslims despite Supreme Court orders. "Is it a 'benefit' to be called Pakistani, Bangladeshi, jihadi, or Rohingya every single day? Is it 'protection' to be lynched? Is it protection that Indians were pushed into Bangladesh?" "Is it a privilege to watch our homes, masjids, and mazaars being bulldozed illegally? To be made socially, politically, and economically invisible? Is it an 'honour' to be the target of hate speeches from no less than the Prime Minister of India?" he asked. "Indian Muslims are the only group whose children are now worse off than their parents or grandparents. Intergenerational mobility has reversed. Muslim-concentrated areas are the ones most starved of public infrastructure and basic services," Owaisi thundered. He also grilled Rijiju over controversial changes to the Waqf law, including provisions that will see non-Muslim members on the central and state waqf boards. The government has insisted these and other changes to the waqf boards will only ensure fairness and transparency.
Hans India
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Hans India
Kiren Rijiju targets Mamata govt for refusing to implement Waqf Act
Mumbai: Union Minority Affairs Minister Kiren Rijiju on Tuesday strongly criticised West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee for refusing to implement the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025 in her state, saying that a state cannot block a law passed by Parliament under the federal structure. He told reporters, "We are working in a federation structure. If the CM of a state declares that she will not follow the Act passed by Parliament, it will only instigate protests. The West Bengal CM is fully responsible for all the violence. She can oppose, but can't say that she will not implement the Act." The Union Minister said rules would be framed to ensure that Waqf properties are used for the welfare of poor Muslims. The minister slammed the Congress and other opposition parties for running a "misinformation" campaign against the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, saying that the government will "expose" them in the days to come. "We will soon expose those who looted poor Muslims and misled them about the provisions of the law. Such elements and some politicians interested in vote bank appeasement have been spreading lies that Muslims will lose their burial grounds or mosques, and that their land will be seized. Speaking such lies is a sin," he said. He said the Waqf (Amendment) Act, 2025, ensures justice, transparency and social responsibility, particularly benefiting poor Muslim families and women. He told reporters that the legislation empowers marginalised sections of the Muslim community without interfering with religious practices. "We will bring transparency in the transactions as the management will have to give all the documentation. Look at what they have done in Murshidabad in West Bengal. They are insulting Babasaheb Ambedkar. This kind of behaviour is damaging the nation," said Minister Rijiju. He alleged that those who use Muslims as a vote bank are misleading them. He further claimed that lakhs of people from the Muslim community are thanking Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the Waqf (Amendment) Act. To a question on non-Muslims in the Waqf Board, the minister asked, "How did Azam Khan (Samajwadi Party) leader become in charge of Kumbh Mela in Uttar Pradesh earlier? We never questioned that." He further alleged that the Opposition had spread misinformation that Muslims' citizenship would be revoked under the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). "Has anything like that happened, even though the CAA has been in force for more than a year?" he asked. To a question on the National Herald case, the minister said Congress workers should realise that their funds were looted by their leaders. Earlier, he addressed a public gathering as part of the Waqf Reform Public Awareness campaign.
