'Secular politics' behind backwardness of Muslims, says Naqvi in Assam

Guwahati: Backwardness of Muslims in India in education and employment is a dangerous part of "secular political conspiracy", according to Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi who accused Congress of exploiting the minority community by keeping them poor and illiterate.

Addressing election meetings at Bilasipara, Mankachar and Golakganj in Assam, the BJP leader said the increase in percentage of Muslims living below poverty line during last few decades in states like Assam and West Bengal proves that "votebank politics of secularism" has severely affected poor Muslims.

The Minister of State for Minority Affairs asked people of Assam to vote for BJP this time and see the change in fortunes of the state and its poor people.

"Votes given to BJP will prove to be a blow to the political termite of corruption," he said.

Naqvi, the Muslim face of BJP, said the backwardness of Indian Muslims in education and employment is a dangerous part of the "secular political conspiracy".

He said some political parties, including Congress, think they can politically exploit Muslims by keeping them illiterate and poor and by creating a feeling of insecurity among them.

He said the "walls of secularism and communalism and fabricated political issues" were raised to prevent the light of development from reaching the poor among Muslim community.

Had the amount "spent on the papers" in the name of socio-economic-educational empowerment of minorities, been spent honestly at the ground, there should not have been a single person of these sections living below poverty line, the Union Minister said.

"But the money meant for development of poor, reached to the vaults of power-brokers, middlemen and corrupt," he said.

Naqvi said the Modi government took steps to ensure the "blockade of power-brokers and locked out the 'loot-lobby' from the corridors of power in Delhi".

"Our Government has established a system to monitor that every penny meant for development of poor is spent honestly," he said.

He said those who allowed the loot of the rights of poor during the last 15 years in Assam will not be spared.

"Those who hold the development of the poor as 'hostage', will be punished strictly," he said.

Naqvi assured people of Assam that BJP is the guarantee of security, safety and prosperity of all sections of society including Minorities.