New Delhi: Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, Union Minister for Minority Affairs, said on Saturday that the Taliban's ideology of opposing women's freedom, respect for minorities, empowering women, and constitutional equality will never work in India.

Naqvi made the remarks at the National Commission for Minorities' "Minority Day" event in New Delhi. Those who oppose making triple talaq an offence, or who question the removal of Mehram for women going on Haj, or who question the constitutional equality of marriageable age for women, he says, are the same people who oppose the Constitution's basic spirit.

He said that the Modi government's "nationalist force of inclusive empowerment" has demolished the "political gimmicks of minority appeasement." He said, India's security, inclusive prosperity, and respect for minorities are the result of the country's "Constitutional resolve" and "positive thinking." He went on to say, India is a country where all religions and sects, as well as those who do not believe in any religion, have constitutional and social security.

Following independence, India adopted secularism, whereas neighbouring Pakistan embraced religious bigotry, and it is now known as a factory for producing terrorists, he said. He stated that the Modi government has provided scholarships to over five crore students from six notified minority communities - Parsis, Jains, Buddhists, Sikhs, Christians, and Muslims - since 2014.

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