Lynching incidents shouldn't be politicised or given communal colour: Naqvi

Mumbai, Jun 29: Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi Saturday said incidents of lynching should not be given a communal colour or politicised.

He was speaking to reporters after inaugurating a renovated hall of the Haj House in Mumbai. "Lynching is a criminal subject. It should not be give a communal colour. It is highly condemnable and no one should politicise it," the Minority Affairs Minister said.

The comment comes in the backdrop of the alleged lynching of a 24-year-old man in Jharkhand last week. The victim, Tabrez Ansari, was allegedly tied to a pole and thrashed with sticks by a mob in Seraikela Kharsawan district of Jharkhand on suspicion of theft. The man was purportedly seen in a video being forced to chant "Jai Shri Ram" and "Jai Hanuman". He later succumbed to injuries.

Naqvi said the culture of harmony and tolerance of majority Hindu community has built and strengthened the foundation of India's democratic secularism. "India is the world's largest secular democratic country because after partition, Pakistan chose to become an Islamic nation, while the majority Hindu community in India chose the path of secularism," he said.

Despite the diversity in languages, faiths, food and style of living, India's culture has kept us united through a strong bond. Today, the minorities in India are moving forward on the path of development with religious and social freedom, the minister said.

"The strong inclusive culture, unity and harmony of India has defeated terrorism and other enemies of humanity. Terrorist groups such as Al Qaeda and Islamic State have not been successful in their evil designs due to the commitment to unity of our society," the BJP leader said.

The Muslim community in India knows very well that terrorism is the biggest enemy of the entire humanity and Islam, he said.

"We should remain cautious to ensure that no negative agenda is successful in disturbing the atmosphere of inclusive development and harmony. We have to make secularism and democracy our strength and not a weakness," Naqvi said.

The minister said it was for the first time since independence that a record 2 lakh Indian Muslims will go on Haj this year without any subsidy. "An honest and transparent system developed by the Modi government has ensured that even after removal of Haj subsidy, there is no unnecessary financial burden on the Haj pilgrims," he said.

"A record number of two lakh Indian Muslims will go on Haj this year in over 500 flights from 21 embarkation points across the country," Naqvi said.

The number of women Haj pilgrims going without 'mehram' (male companion) this year is double as compared to last year, the minister added.