Naqvi rules out religious angle in anti-encroachment drive, slams Mehbooba Mufti's 'minorities attacked' remark

New Delhi [India], May 12 (ANI): Union Minister Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi on Wednesday slammed former chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir Mehbooba Mufti for the "minorities attacked" remark and ruled out the religious angle in the ongoing anti-encroachment drive in the national capital.
Recently, an anti-encroachment drive was carried out in the Shaheen Bagh area of New Delhi that witnessed a backlash from the locals as they sat on the roads to protest against the demolition.
The former J-K chief minister accused the Centre of attacking the minorities in the backdrop of the anti-encroachment drive.
"It's very unfortunate the way minorities are being attacked, their houses are being bulldozed. The judiciary is not coming forward to take Suo Moto cognizance of such incidents," Mufti said.
Speaking to ANI, Naqvi said the action that is being taken against the encroachment is not based on the religion of the person.
"It has become a fashion to commit a crime and then paint it with communalism to get away with it. This will no more happen. A criminal is a criminal. Action will be taken against whosoever committing a crime, be it Congress or Mehbooba Mufti. Encroachment is being acted upon irrespective of religion. Action is not being taken based on the name of the person committing a crime," he said.
The Union Minister also hit out at the Rajasthan government following the violent incidents in parts of the state, and termed the law and order situation "worrisome".
"The situation in Rajasthan is worrisome also because Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot is lecturing the country on secularism but is unable to provide security to his own people," he said.
Notably, a 22-year-old man was allegedly stabbed to death in the Kotwali Police Station area of Bhilwara on Tuesday night, said police.
Last week, two persons were attacked by unidentified people and their bike was set on fire. The incident was reported in the Sanganer area of Bhilwara last night. Rajasthan has been witnessing various incidents of violence over the past two months. (ANI)