Minorities safer in India than anywhere else: Union MoS for Home Nityanand Rai
Patna, Dec 26: Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai on Monday asserted that "all minority groups" were secure in the country, "more than anywhere else in the world", though parties opposed to the BJP suggested otherwise because of "appeasement politics".
Rai made the averment at a press conference he addressed at the Bihar BJP headquarters here, in response to a query about a recent remark by RJD national general secretary Abdul Bari Siddiqui that he wanted his children to settle abroad because of the "atmosphere in the country".
"All minority groups, including the one which Siddiqui is hinting at, are safe in the country. They are safer than anywhere else in the world. I say this with all the responsibility at my command as the Union MoS for Home", said Rai, who formerly headed the BJP's Bihar unit.
Rai was of the opinion that parties like RJD, and its ally Congress, spoke of threats to minorities "to get sympathy of certain sections of the society for electoral gains".
"This is called the politics of appeasement. It is this politics of appeasement that had caused Partition of the country", alleged the Union minister who, when asked whether he thought Mahatma Gandhi too was guilty of politics of appeasement, replied "not Gandhi ji, but those who went on to rule Pakistan and the truncated India were pursuing such politics in their respective pursuit of power".
He also accused Congress leader Rahul Gandhi of undermining the armed forces during speeches delivered as part of the "Bharat Jodo Yatra" and claimed "hostile neighbours like China and Pakistan have realized that this is not the India of 1960s. With Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the helm, no power would dare to go to war with us. Even if a war takes place, the outcome is going to be in India's favour".
Training his guns at Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar, who was a BJP ally until snapping of ties in August, Rai said "we learn that he is going take out another yatra. These gimmicks confirm that his governance track record has been miserable".
When pointed out that his party has for long been an ally of Kumar, the JD(U)'s de facto leader, on whom it used to shower encomiums for bringing about development in Bihar, the BJP leader said "all sectors in which there has been any improvement, happened to be portfolios held by our party".
The Union minister also frowned upon Kumar's "piyoge to maroge" quip in the aftermath of the Saran hooch tragedy and criticized the latter for making a fuss over NHRC taking cognizance of the matter.
Rai also alleged that Kumar has been soft on "anti-national activities going on in Bihar" and cited the example of Kashmir having been mentioned as a separate country in a school examination question paper to buttress his point.
Taking a dig at the JD(U) leader for repeatedly saying the BJP had deviated from the inclusiveness exemplified by former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Rai said "he should read a few poems of Atal ji. He will learn what the leader stood for".
Let the Truth be known. If you read VB and like VB, please be a VB Supporter and Help us deliver the Truth to one and all.
AIITA welcomes Karnataka’s ban on obscene songs in school events
Bhatkal: The Karnataka unit of the All India Ideal Teachers Association (AIITA) has welcomed the Karnataka government’s decision to strictly ban school children from dancing to obscene songs during educational and cultural programmes in government, aided, and private schools across the state.
AIITA Karnataka State President M. R. Manvi congratulated the government for taking what he termed an important step to preserve the sanctity of education.
“Such decisions to safeguard the dignity of school children and uphold the values of education are the need of the hour. This rule should not be limited to government schools alone but must be strictly implemented in all private educational institutions as well,” he said.
He further urged the government to address other concerns within school programmes.
“The government should not only prohibit obscene dances in the name of school anniversaries, but also ensure that plays and dialogues that incite religious hatred are avoided. Schools should be centres of harmony, not platforms for spreading hatred,” he added.
According to a recent circular issued by the Department of School Education and Literacy, obscene dances are adversely affecting the mental health and moral values of students.
In this regard, schools have been advised to use songs that promote nationalism, positive thinking, the greatness of Kannada culture, and value-based traditions instead of inappropriate content during programmes.
The circular also emphasises that students should be dressed in decent attire.
AIITA also backed the department’s warning that disciplinary action would be taken against head teachers if such guidelines are violated. The association has further demanded that district Deputy Directors of Public Instruction strictly monitor the implementation of these rules.
