Stating that there was no atmosphere of fear prevailing in the country among minorities, Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Monday blamed a "mourning brigade" for painting a picture of gloom among minorities.
The Minority Affairs Minister, elevated to the Cabinet rank, asserted that the Government would focus on the empowerment of minority communities by providing them with education and employment opportunities.
Minister of State for Minority Affairs, Virendra Kumar, inducted as Minister of state in the Minority affairs on Sunday and accompanied Naqvi, said the Centre would ensure empowerment "sans appeasement".
"There is no atmosphere of fear prevailing in the country among minorities. Rather, there is an atmosphere of trust among them," Naqvi told reporters here.
A 'vilaap mandali' (mourning brigade) was propagating the view about fear, he said, without specifying who he was referring to.
He said the minorities had full faith in the Government for the work it was doing for their "uplift"."You have seen they blamed EVMs when they lost (assembly) polls (in Uttar Pradesh and other states), when demonetisation happened and now again when the council of ministers has been re-jigged," he said attacking the opposition.
On the issue of triple talaq, Naqvi said the practice of instant divorce was a social ill at variance with the principle of gender equality as mentioned in the Constitution.
"Our Government works within the framework of the Constitution...The Supreme Court has already given its verdict on the issue. We welcome that," he said.