Sunday Interview: We will form the government in Uttar Pradesh'

Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, minority affairs minister, was recently promoted by Prime Minister Narendra Modi who gave him independent charge of the ministry. In an interview to Yojna Gusai he said that Kashmir is currently facing a “temporary phase” and peace-loving Kashmiris have always rejected the “nefarious” designs of separatist elements and terrorists.

The Monsoon Session of Parliament is commencing. What are the government’s priorities?

Our priority is that Parliament functions smoothly. We want the new and pending bills to pass through consensus.

Including the Goods and Services Tax Bill?

Yes. It is an important bill. We had been holding consultations both at formal and informal levels, with various parties and individuals to make sure that this bill as well as other bills are passed. We are very hopeful that this session would be fruitful and will have positive results.

In the last session it was the Uttarakhand crisis and the Supreme Court’s ruling on it, and this session it’s the apex court’s verdict on Arunachal Pradesh. Your party and government are under fire for having “contempt for the people’s mandate” and the Congress has said it will raise this issue in Parliament.

We are ready for any debate or discussion on any issue. Parliament has discussed on earlier occasions also the constitutional rights of Assemblies, legislature and judiciary. These rights are also defined in the Constitution clearly. If this issue is taken up, the government will also put its point of view.

But do you see this verdict as a setback for the government or your party?

Definitely not. Whatever happened, whatever decision the governor took, was as per the framework of the Constitution. We are not going to comment on the Supreme Court’s ruling but then the House is supreme.

The Congress has accused your government of misusing constitutional power.

Hilarious. The Congress is a history sheeter in misusing constitutional power and institutions. How it misused institutions and agencies against its opponents during the UPA rule is well known. The NDA respects the Constitution and responsibilities that come when you are at the Centre. We have never misused constitutional machinery but respect it.

Your government is being blamed for the Kashmir turmoil and using “excessive” force in the wake of protests over Hizb militant Burhan Wani’s killing.

Jammu and Kashmir has witnessed tremendous progress in the last two years. The region wants prosperity and its people want peace just like the rest of the country. There are certain separatists and those following separatist ideology never want peace and normalcy in the region for their vested interests. They are always working to see that there is turmoil in the region and are getting help from across the border for this. Remember, they had also asked people to boycott polls, but people did not heed to their call.

But what about the stone-pelters?

The Kashmiri youth wants  peace, progress and prosperity. They are as nationalists as anyone in this country. What we are witnessing is an immediate reaction to an incident by some but that does not mean the region’s youth is completely influenced by the separatists’ ideology. Though there might be some but you cannot say all stone-pelters are separatists or terrorists.

You are sharing power with the PDP in Jammu and Kashmir. Chief minister Mehbooba Mufti questioned the “disproportionate force” against civilians by security forces. The Opposition also blamed your government on the issue.

Security forces have to be deployed during extraordinary circumstances. Some elements, supported from across the border, tried to incite violence in the region where Amarnath Yatra is also going on and had to be stalled. They tried to misuse a situation to incite communal hatred and had put lives at risk. Security forces are required to strengthen security in a region.

Pakistan has raised this issue at the UN.

Pakistan is a champion in human rights violation. India respects rights of its citizens and our track record is better than other countries. Pakistan stands exposed on this issue.

What do you have to say about controversial preacher Zakir Naik?

Agencies are probing various aspects that have surfaced regarding him. If there is anything against him, action will be taken. There will be no compromise on the national and internal security of the country.

Important Assembly elections are coming, including in Uttar Pradesh and Punjab.

We will form the government in Uttar Pradesh. The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party have been exposed and people are fed up of them. The “grand old party” has tried to bring a brand new formula by projecting former chief minister of Delhi as its chief ministerial candidate for Uttar Pradesh. People will not take it. The BJP is the best and visible alternative in Uttar Pradesh. In Punjab, our coalition government will continue to work for the people.

But the Punjab government has come under fire over drug-related issues.

The state government has taken effective actions on this issue. But you cannot claim that the entire state is reeling under its influence. This is an insult to the state and its people.

You recently asked your ministry officials to work and review it from “ground zero” and that they should treat it as a “duty and not formality”.

Minority affairs department is a very sensitive department. It was the earlier political system that treated this ministry and its schemes as formality and not its duty to implement them. Secular parties politically exploited minorities but never used politics to empower them. Narendra Modi has a blue print for upliftment of minorities, poor and dalits in every sector. We want a structure for them, which is not only strong but they should also feel secure and are included in the government’s mission of country’s development.