"Expecting 30-35% From Minorities Will Vote For BJP In 2019": Minister

Opposition's "fear-mongering" campaign has been "demolished" by the government's development without discrimination approach, Union minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said today, and exuded confidence that 30-35 per cent minorities, including Muslims, will vote for the BJP in 2019.

Maintaining that the NDA government has worked for the development of minorities, he said there is a belief among these communities that Prime Minister Narendra Modi stands for development.

Mr Naqvi said that when the BJP had come to power in 2014, the opposition parties tried to create a trust deficit and indulged in "fear-mongering".

"We can't say that the poison that had been spread in the last 70 years, we have completely eradicated that. But, the positive thing is that now the minorities are treating the BJP as a reality of Indian politics and they are supporting it on the basis of its merit and demerits," he said.

In the 2014 elections, 18-20 per cent people from the minority communities had voted for PM Modi, Mr Naqvi said.

"In the 2019 polls, I am expecting 30-35 per cent people from the minority communities, including Muslims, will vote for the BJP to continue the development journey of the country," the minister said.

Mr Naqvi, who handles the Minority Affairs Ministry, also claimed that no big communal riot has taken place since PM Modi has taken over.

"No big communal riot happened in the country (under this government)...It has been our endeavour that the atmosphere in the country remains fear-free and there is harmony among all sections of the society, and along with that there is no criminal, terrorist and communal activity in any part of the country," he said.

 He alleged that there was an effort to create "fabricated" fear through measures such as the 'award wapsi' programme and other accusatory political statements.

Mr Naqvi also claimed that in the 10 years of the UPA rule, about 530 innocent Muslims were sent to jail after being dubbed as terrorists.

Asked if the government had done enough to win over the minorities, especially Muslims, he said when the BJP came to power, its political opponents tried to create wrong perceptions in the minds of the minorities.

Their first campaign was that with the coming of the Modi government, India's relationship with the Arab countries and some other nations will be dented and Muslims will not be safe.

"But that campaign has been demolished. If you see from Arab to America, from Africa to Australia, every country has strong faith in India's leadership under Prime Minister Modi," he said.

The government has worked for the development of minorities without any discrimination, Mr Naqvi asserted.