Union minister Ravi Shankar Prasad on Friday said Muslims do not vote for the BJP, but the government has given them "proper sanctity".
He was responding to a question related to development having an impact on culture and diversity.
Strong reactions have come in opposition to his comment. Senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid said that he was unable to understand the statement "that even though they don't vote for us, we give them sanctity".
AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi termed the Union Minister’s statement as “unfortunate”.
Owaisi said that the Constitution is supreme and asserted that the Union Minister’s work is to implement those constitutional rights.
In recent Assembly elections, the BJP scored an impressive win in Uttar Pradesh and Uttarakhand. The party also formed government in Goa and Manipur. Its main rival, Congress, was able to get a clear majority in Punjab only.
As IT minister, Prasad said he has visited many Muslim-dominated villages where many Muslim youth are running Common Service Centres, which help people avail government services through Internet.
The minister cited the example of Prime Minister Narendra Modi shortlisting a Muslim tea garden labourer in Jalpaiguri, Karimul Haque, for his exemplary work.
Prasad said Haque has converted his motorcycle into an ambulance, rushes whosoever falls sick to hospital, and in the process, has saved nearly 2,000 lives.
The minister said he has issues with those in the Left and journalists spreading "hatred" against Modi.
According to Prasad, the Left is "left out" all over the world, and had been defeated in India.
India is in the third phase of political evolution where people are looking for "politics of aspirational reality with good governance".
(With inputs from ANI, PTI)
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