Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi- The lone Muslim face in Modi govt 2.0
New Delhi, May 30: With Prime Minister Narendra Modi pledging 'sabka saath, sabka vikas and sabka vishwas' mantra, his cabinet's lone Muslim face Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi will have the responsibility of winning the hearts of minorities and taking forward the 'development without appeasement' policy.
Naqvi, who took oath as a cabinet minister on Thursday, was the Minority Affairs Minister in the previous dispensation and is credited with major reforms in the Haj policy.
During his tenure, the Haj subsidy was done away with under a new policy and women were allowed to go on the pilgrimage without Mahram or a male companion.
If he gets the Minority Affairs portfolio again, he would look to take forward the welfare policies and reforms while having the added responsibility of winning the hearts of minorities.
Prime Minister Modi, in a speech after securing a massive mandate in the Lok Sabha polls, had said: "Our mantra should be 'sabka saath, sabka vikas and sabka vishwas' (with all, for everybody's development and having everyone's trust)."
"They (minorities) cannot be handed over to them (Opposition), who benefit because we keep quiet," Modi had said.
Naqvi would look to act on taking minorities along with a slew of welfare measures.
As the Minority Affairs Minister, Naqvi effectively implemented various schemes aimed at socio-economic-educational empowerment of poor and weaker sections of minorities with the goal of "development with dignity".
He has contested two assembly elections (1991, 1993) and three Lok Sabha elections (1998, 1999 and 2009).
He became the first BJP Muslim Lok Sabha Member elected from Rampur, Uttar Pradesh, in 1998. He was elected to the Rajya Sabha (Upper House of Parliament) in 2002, 2010 and 2016.
Naqvi served as Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs in 1998 in the Atal Bihari Vajpayee-government.
The other ministers from the minority communities included in the council of ministers are Harsimrat Kaur Badal and Hardeep Singh Puri.
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345 Indian fishermen stranded in Iran return home via Armenia
New Delhi (PTI): A group of 345 Indian fishermen, who were stranded in Iran amid escalating regional tensions, returned to India via Armenia on Saturday, officials said.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar thanked his Armenian counterpart Ararat Mirzoyan for assistance in return of the Indian nationals.
The Indian nationals arrived in Chennai this evening, the officials cited above said.
The circumstances that led to them being stranded in Iran were not immediately known.
"Thank FM @AraratMirzoyan and the Government of Armenia for facilitating the evacuation of Indian fishermen today from Iran, through Armenia to India," Jaishankar said on social media.
Over 1,500 Indian nationals have left Iran through land border crossings in Armenia and Azerbaijan since the start of the West Asia conflict over a month ago.
"A group of Indian fishermen, stranded in Iran, are returning home via Armenia today; their flight is expected to reach India this evening," a government statement said.
It said the Ministry of External Affairs continues to closely monitor the evolving situation in the West Asian region, with the safety, security and welfare of the Indian community being accorded the highest priority.
It also made a mention of five Indians being injured in Abu Dhabi on Friday.
According to Abu Dhabi authorities, the Indian nationals were among the 12 people injured by debris from an intercepted missile.
"In an attack in Abu Dhabi, five Indian nationals were injured; four have been discharged, one remains under treatment," the Indian government's statement said.
It said the Indian mission in Abu Dhabi is extending "full" assistance and coordinating with local authorities, adding that their flight is expected to reach India this evening.
