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Muslims concerned about progress, not mandir, says Naqvi

Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Mukthar Abbas Naqvi said the Muslim community was not against the construction of a Ram temple at Ayodhya, pre-fabricated or otherwise, but was concerned about its own economic and social development.

Naqvi was responding to question from newspersons about the community's reaction to reports that attempts were being made to install a pre-fabricated Ram temple at the disputed site.

Naqvi said the Muslims were keen about ensuring equality for the community in education and employment rather than worry about "artificial issues like the Babri Masjid."

"The so-called secular parties are trying to keep alive the Babri Masjid issue mainly to sidetrack the real issues concerning the Muslims, even though the BJP and the RSS have not talked about the issue for the last few months," he added.

He said that as the first Muslim to be elected to the Lok Sabha on a BJP ticket (from Rampur in Uttar Pradesh), he felt that a lot of changes had come about in the attitude of the Muslims towards the BJP after the latter had assumed power at the Centre.

Naqvi said during his recent visit to Kashmir, some Muslim activists had informed him that they wanted to take out rallies in Jammu and Delhi, appealing to Kashmiri Pandits to return to the valley. "This is a very welcome development," he added.

He said that the people of Kashmir, except some youths misled by the Pakistani ISI agency, wanted to be part of India. "They are yearning for peace, and the pressure from certain international quarters is posing certain hurdles for peace," he added.

He said some anti-national forces were trying to foment communal trouble in Hyderabad and some other places, and disrupt the social fabric in the aftermath of the Pokhran nuclear tests. People should guard themselves against such activities, he added.

The minister said except Pakistan, none of the Islamic countries had opposed the Pokhran nuclear tests. "This is because of the Pakistani leadership, which wants to indulge in propaganda against India. The people of India and Pakistan only want good relations with each other," he added.

Naqvi admitted that the Congress had suggested that the proposed Prasar Bharti board be expanded to include a representative each from the Lok Sabha and the Rajya Sabha.

Stating that Parliament was expected to discuss and finalise the Prasar Bharti bill within a week's time, he said the Centre was not really concerned about the controversy over the tenure of S S Gill, who wanted to continue at the helm of affairs even after the relevant ordinance lapsed.

Later, speaking at a meeting organised by the South Indian Film Chamber of Commerce to felicitate him and BJP general secretary M Venkaiah Naidu, Naqvi said he expected the film world to quickly join the mainstream of commercial life, now that it had been given industry status.

Naqvi said he was confident the government would solve other problems facing the film world, relating to composition of censor boards, rationalisation of entertainment tax rates, enhancement of royalty for film songs broadcast by All India Radio, and income tax exemption for export of films.

He said it was also decided to set up a film development council, which would include representatives of the film industry, to hold regular discussions required in the interest of good cinema.

UNI

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