In an interview published on Sunday, India’s minority affairs minister said that Indians have the freedom to follow their faith and that there is no growing intolerance between religious communities. This comes amid a wave of religious riots across the country.
Several people were injured, including six police officers, during a Hindu religious procession in New Delhi on Saturday for Hanuman Jayanti, police officials said, days after similar violence in three other Indian states.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, the right-wing Minority Affairs Minister in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government, told The Economic Times that ‘fringe elements, who are unable to digest the peace and prosperity in the country, try to defame India’s inclusive culture and commitment.’
Small-scale religious riots have erupted in recent weeks in several regions of the country during religious processions between the majority Hindu and minority Muslim communities. During Ram Navami, a week that Hindus deem auspicious, several university students in New Delhi battled on JNU’s campus over non-vegetarian food given in the hostel. ‘It is not the job of the government to tell the people what to eat or not. Every citizen has freedom in the country to eat food of their choice,’ Mr Naqvi said.
Post Your Comments