Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said the archbishop should try to develop a progressive mindset. (File photo)
Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi today asked the archbishop of Delhi to come out of his "prejudiced" mindset and asserted that minorities have progressed at a fast pace in the four years of the Modi government, which has worked for "development without discrimination".
The minority affairs minister also said that as long as people look at the Narendra Modi government with a prejudiced mind, they cannot see the progress it has made.
Mr Naqvi's comments came in response to a letter written to all parish priests in the national capital by Delhi archbishop Anil Couto, who has asked for a prayer campaign to be launched and appealed for fasting on Fridays ahead of the 2019 General Elections.
Citing that a "turbulent political atmosphere" posed a "threat to the democratic principles enshrined in the Constitution and the secular fabric" of the nation, the letter said, "It is our hallowed practice to pray for our country and its political leaders all the time, but all the more so when we approach the general elections."
He should come out of his "prejudiced mindset" and have a progressive mindset, Mr Naqvi said.
The prime minister has worked with the commitment towards inclusive growth and broken the barriers of caste, region and religion, he claimed.
"The prime minister's commitment to development without discrimination should be seen. As long as you have a prejudiced mind, you cannot look at this progress," he said.
MR Naqvi claimed that the safety and security for minorities have been strengthened under the government, and it or the state governments have acted against fringe elements involved in some isolated incidents of targeting them.
"I will request him, if we sit together I can tell him how fast has been the development of minorities in the country in the last four years," he said.