Said 'Hindi' not 'Hindu', we are all Indians: Najma Heptullah clarifies

August 29, 2014

Najma HeptullahNew Delhi, Aug 29: Minorities affairs minister Najma Heptullah who has created a huge political outcry after she was quoted as saying that she saw nothing wrong with the RSS theory that all Indians can be called Hindus, has now clarified to say that she meant 'Hindi' and not 'Hindu'.

“Anything beyond the Hindu Kush mountains and on this side of the Sindh river is Hind. In Persian, they call it Hindustani… where the people of India live. The word Hindu originally referred to the national identity of people who live in this land. I look at it very rationally. One should not forget history", the report quoted her as saying.

However Heptullah clarified her remarks in comments to the media.

"I had said, we are Indians. That is our nationality. I said 'Hindi' which is an Arabic word. I did not say 'Hindu'", she said adding "Whatever I said, was about me. My focus is on development and backwardness. I said Hindi. I stand by fact that we are all Indians".

The comments by Heptuallah, coming on the back of what is being seen as a BJP effort to legitimize the much decried RSS remark that all Indians were culturally Hindus, were met with massive outcry. Congress spokesman Manish Tewari asked her to go read the constitution again, saying that it specifically referred to citizens of the country as 'Indians'.

The comment by RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat was, "The cultural identity of all Indians is Hindutva and the present inhabitants of the country are descendants of this great culture. If inhabitants of England are English, Germany are Germans and USA are Americans then why all inhabitants of Hindustan are not known as Hindus?"

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Agencies
April 23,2020

New Delhi, Apr 23: With an increase of 1,229 new COVID-19 cases in the last 24 hours, the total number of cases reached 21,700, said the Union Ministry of Health and Family Welfare on Thursday.

The tally is inclusive of 16,689 active cases, 4,325 patients have been cured/discharged and migrated, while 686 patients who have died due to the deadly virus.

According to the ministry's data, Maharashtra is on the top of the list with most COVID-19 cases, 5,652 cases of which 789 patients have recovered and 269 patients succumbing to coronavirus.

Gujarat and Delhi are second and third on the list respectively with Gujarat having 2407 cases of which 179 patients have recovered and 103 deaths. Meanwhile, in Delhi, the tally stands at 2248 cases of which 724 patients have recovered and 49 patients have died from COVID-19.

Rajasthan's tally stands at 1,890 cases with 230 patients cured while 27 deaths have been reported as of Thursday.

Madhya Pradesh has 1695 cases of which 148 patients have recovered and 81 deaths reported. Tamil Nadu, on the other hand, stands with 1629 cases of which 662 patients have recovered and 18 have died due to the deadly virus.

Goa has seven cases reported of which all seven patients have recovered from the coronavirus.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi announced on April 14, that the nationwide lockdown would be extended to May 3.

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Agencies
July 7,2020

Bhopal, Jul 7: Anil Mishra, personal assistant to BJP Rajya Sabha MP Jyotiraditya Scindia, has tested positive.

He has been accompanying Scindia throughout his tours post-corona infection.

His contact trail is longer than that of Scindia. He has been in touch with Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan.

Mishra was present during Scindia's meetings with the MLAs and the swearing in ceremony of the MP ministry on July 2.

BJP sources say there is concern over the possible list of people who will be put in isolation to check the spread of the virus.

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Agencies
July 13,2020

Jaipur, July 13: Amid a deepening political crisis in Rajasthan where the number 2 leader of the Congress party Sachin Pilot has revolted, over 200 Income Tax (I-T) sleuths raided the residences and properties of two of Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot’s close confidants.

The Income Tax department has carried out searches at over a dozen locations linked to Congress leader Dharamender Rathore as well as jewellery firm owner Rajiv Arora, both of whom are considered close to Gehlot.

Officials said that the raids that are underway in Jaipur, Kota, Delhi, and Mumbai were done after a complaint of tax evasion was made. Under the scanner, they said, are transactions that were made outside the country.

The curious timing of the Income Tax department’s action against Gehlot’s aides has made the Congress accuse the sleuths of acting on the behest of the BJP.

Congress spokesperson Randeep Singh Surjewala tweeted: “After all, BJP's lawyers came on the field. The Income Tax Department started raids in Jaipur. When will ED arrive?”

The Congress is facing a cliffhanger in Rajasthan after the open rebellion by deputy chief minister Sachin Pilot, who on Sunday night claimed that he had the support of 30 MLAs and that Gehlot was leading a minority government in the state.

However, Congress leader Avinash Pande on Monday said 109 MLAs have signed a letter of support to the chief minister, well above the majority mark of 100. The party has issued a whip to all the MLAs, asking them to attend the Congress Legislature Party meeting at 10.30 am. 

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