Najma Heptulla, GM Siddeshwara resign from Union Cabinet, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi gets independent charge of Minority Affairs

New Delhi: The Union Minister for Minority Affairs  Dr. Najma Heptulla tendered her resignation to President Pranab Mukherjee on Tuesday.

President Pranab Mukherjee accepted their resignations as advised by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, a Rashtrapati Bhawan Communique said. After accepting her resignation, President Pranab directed Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Minister of State to take over as Independent charge of Ministry of Minority Affairs.

According to News18 sources, PM Modi was apparently not too happy with Najma's performance as Minority Affairs minister and hence asked her to quit from the Cabinet post. 

However, Heptulla denied any such report and said that she resigned from the post due to personal reasons. 

"I will always be available for any responsibility given to me in the future. I have resigned due to personal reasons," ANI quoted her as saying. 

"I am extremely thankful to the Prime Minister for giving me the opportunity and honour to be in his Cabinet," she added further.

Heptulla was a member of the Modi cabinet since 2014. Under her, the ministry held the record for being able to spend 98% of the entire Plan Budget in 2015-16 on various schemes and programs meant for the people of minority community.​

Minister of State G.M. Siddeshwara too stepped down from his post today.

Babul Supriyo, is assigned the portfolio of Minister of State in the Ministry of Heavy Industries & Public Enterprises. He will be relieved of charge of MoS in Ministry of Urban Development, and MoS in Ministry of Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation.

The development comes days after Prime Minister Modi, in a much-awaited Cabinet reshuffle, inducted 19 new faces, who were chosen after an exhaustive vetting process to carry forward the government’s vision of ‘Gaon, Garib aur Kisan’. 

(With ANI inputs)